Blood on the Snow
by Roisin Dubh
Summary: The Mercer Brothers are bent on finding and punishing the people who murdered their mother. But once they've had their revenge, is there anything that will keep Bobby Mercer in Detroit?
1. Chapter 1: Familiar Faces

_Author's note: Hi Everyone. I've had a bit of a hiatus from posting anything on , so I'm a bit rusty I think. I'll start with the usual "legal disclaimer" – this story is based on the movie, "Four Brothers." I didn't write the original screen play or have anything to do with the movie. I don't make a bloody cent from this story; it is just an exercise in imagination and writing and meant only to be enjoyed by myself, and hopefully others. _

_Moving on: This story is meant to be a basic retelling of the Four Brothers movie with the added element of Jessie St. James, my OC. Since I've added her in and tinkered with the timeline a bit, this is definitely AU. I hope you enjoy it – and, as always, I'd really like your feedback. Rating is for language more than anything else. If you like it, please tell me what you like. If you don't, please tell me why. I can't make anything better if I don't have concrete examples. And now, without further delay, on with the story…_

**Chapter 1: Old, Familiar Faces**

Jessie pulled the collar of her coat up a little higher and wished she'd worn a hat. The thin scarf she had pulled up over her lips and nose wasn't doing much to keep the frigid air out. Every winter she remembered again how much she despised the Detroit cold. She walked up the steps to the house and went inside the porch. She didn't hear much inside, but the lights were on. Jessie knocked sharply on the door. Nothing. She knocked again and this time she heard footsteps.

"What?" It was the day of his mother's funeral and Bobby Mercer had used up all of his politeness for the day. For a second, her breath caught. He hardly looked any different, although she hadn't seen him in years. A little more careworn, maybe, but there was still that something, that something Jessie could only count as irresistible. It only took an instant for her to realize that time had certainly not diminished how attracted she was to Bobby - he was still as wild, rugged, and dangerous as she remembered.

She pulled the scarf down and smiled, not entirely certain he'd remember her. "Hi, Bobby."

His eyes got wide and then his serious, sad face broke into a smile. "Holy shit. Jessie? Jessie St. James?"

"The one and only."

For a moment, all Bobby could do was stare. Jessie had moved to the neighborhood when she was about ten. He hadn't paid much attention to her back then; he was a few years older than Jess and spent too much time playing hockey and getting in trouble. He'd gotten to know her when she started turning up in neighborhood street hockey games. And she wasn't half-bad. Then one summer in high school, just as sophomore year was starting, Bobby had seen Jessie in a new light… gone was the lean tomboy who had played street hockey with him. Instead Jessie looked like a girl, a really pretty girl.

From about age 15 on, Bobby Mercer had been what some would call a "player." He dated a lot of girls and most of them for not a long time. Like most boys that age, he was interested in one thing and it wasn't true love. Not long after he rediscovered Jessie, Bobby had taken her out on a date. He took her on a couple dates, in fact, but despite his very best efforts, he was never able to convince Jessie to go all the way with him. Finally, he turned his attention back to girls who were more willing. Jessie had never let on how badly he'd broken her heart.

After high school, many of the people in Bobby's class had scattered, including Jessie. Army or something like that. Maybe it had been to pay for college; Bobby couldn't remember. But seeing her standing there on his doorstep, enormous brown eyes peeking over the scarf when he'd first opened the door, brought it all back to him. And he wanted her more in that moment than he ever had in high school.

"I came by to say how sorry I was about your Mom, and that I'm sorry I missed the funeral. Dad's living down in Florida now with Uncle Lenny. I was visiting with him and just got back this afternoon. That's when I heard what happened. She was a great lady, Bobby. A great lady."

Her voice brought him back from his memory, back to that cold Detroit day; the he'd buried his murdered mother. "Yea, she was." His face didn't change, but the grief was there in his voice and in his eyes… and so was the rage.

"Are you going to make her stand on the porch all night, you idiot?" Jerry shoved Bobby in the back to make him move. "Come on in, Jessie. Let me take your coat."

She hugged Jerry and then Jack, who had come down the stairs to see who was there. They went into the living room.

"I won't stay long," she said. "I just came by to pay my respects. I'm sure you're all very tired…"

"Nah, don't worry. I'm, uh, we're glad you stopped by," said Bobby.

"Where's Angel?" The fourth Mercer brother was conspicuously absent from the house.

"He said he was out for a walk," said Jerry.

"But he's going to grab a little La Vida Loca," added Jack with a snort.

"Sofi?" Jessie shook her head. Angel and Sofi had been an item back in high school. Somehow, Jessie wasn't surprised that Angel was already looking her up. She looked down at the floor and laughed.

When she looked up, she looked at the wall of the living room where all of the photos were. One photo of each brother, a few of Jerry's two daughters, and group shot of the four boys. Jessie smiled at that picture. Four brothers: two white, two black, all troubled with violent pasts… all adopted and made into a family by the indomitable Evelyn Mercer. None of the boys were saints, particularly Bobby, but they were nothing like they would have been without Evelyn.

"You said your Dad went to Florida," said Bobby. "Where are you living?"

"He sold me his house," Jessie answered. "I just started renovating it. I'm a graphic designer at a little local shop. Pay's not too bad and the people aren't idiots. I'm also working two nights a week as an artist at Maverick Ink."

"The tattoo place? Sweet, you can do my next one," said Jack.

"The same. Stop down sometime. But, I'm going to go. I'm sure you guys want some time to catch up with each other." She stood and hugged Jack and Jerry. "Take care guys, and really… I'm sorry, truly, about your Mom. I hope you find the pieces of shit that did this."

They mumbled their thanks as Jerry handed Jessie her coat and scarf. Bobby grabbed his own jacket. "I'll walk you home," he said.

"You don't have to…" _But I wouldn't mind if you wanted to…_

"This is still Detroit," Bobby said. "Walking alone after dark is just askin' for trouble."

"Hanging with _you_ is asking for trouble," said Jack.

"Shut the fuck up, you little fairy." Bobby gave his little brother a shove and Jack gave him the finger for his pain. As the door shut behind Bobby and Jessie, Jeremiah and Jack exchanged looks. Angel wasn't the only one chasing a memory tonight.

Jessie only lived about three blocks away from the Mercers, so the walk was short. They reminisced a little about high school. Bobby was vague about where he'd been for the past several years, but Jessie knew he'd done some time in jail. For her part, Jessie told him about the college she'd attended in the east and mentioned that she'd been in the Army. She didn't say much about that other than she'd spent some time overseas.

When they got to her house, Jessie thanked Bobby for the company and said goodnight. Bobby started back down the walkway as she unlocked the door. As Jessie started to step inside, Bobby called after her, making her stop and turn back.

"Hey. Jessie. How come we never hooked up in high school?" He flashed her a cocky grin. Jessie studied him for a minute, measuring the question and her answer.

"Why?" An odd smile graced her mouth. "Because I always wanted to be so much more to you than just a hook-up, Bobby."

Then she was gone, disappearing into her house, and leaving Bobby in the cold to think about her answer.


	2. Chapter 2: Lost in the Memory

**Chapter 2: Lost in the Memory**

Closing the door behind her, Jessie pulled off her coat and scarf, and tossed them over the edge of the sofa. She went right to the fireplace and put a few logs in along with some smaller kindling wood. A few matches later, the fire finally caught and Jessie rubbed her hands in the heat.

The fireplace wasn't going to do much to heat the house; it was more of a sentimental thing for Jessie. She and her father had always warmed their hands after coming in from the cold, especially if they'd been playing hockey. She closed the mesh curtains to keep the sparks at bay. Turning, she stood still for a minute or two, let the flames warm the back of her legs and stared at the opposite wall. Three sample splotches of paint stared back at her, each a possibility for the new room color. She had a preference for the rich colors of the southwest – they brought a feeling of warmth in Jessie's opinion, and that was certainly welcome in the cold grey that was a Detroit winter.

She was leaning towards a medium brown tone for one wall, with a rich cream on the others. It would be a good blend with the deep chili-red sofa she was contemplating buying. She looked through the recently cut hole in the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen. There would be yellows in the kitchen, but that was a project for another day. She needed to get the living room done first. Then she could think about the next project.

For the next few hours, Jessie puttered in the house – her house. That idea still hadn't really sunk in, although her first mortgage payment had started to drive it home. Finally, after two loads of laundry, new sheets on her bed, and a good scrubbing for the kitchen counters and sink, she finally threw the rag she was using in the trash.

_No more work for today,_ she thought._ Time for dinner and the Red Wings game._

The crock pot was filled with her favorite beef stew. Jessie filled a bowl, cut a chunk of fresh crusty bread and looked in the refrigerator.

"Crap," she muttered. No butter. She'd meant to get some at the corner store after she visited Bobby and his brothers, but she'd completely forgotten. No matter. She had to go to the grocery store tomorrow anyway. She grabbed a pen and added butter to her shopping list, and headed into the living room. A fire going, a warm bowl of stew, good bread and a beer – Jessie was completely ready to watch the Red Wings take on the Flyers.

But as much of a hockey fan as she was, Jessie found her attention to the game waning in the second period. Detroit was up by three and as two rookies dropped their gloves and started throwing haymakers, she found herself thinking of all the times when she'd watched Bobby Mercer play hockey – and fight. She'd always cheered for him as a player, and – if she was being honest – she cheered for him when he was fighting, too.

_I'm almost embarrassed to admit that, _she thought. _But there is something just so… male… about Bobby…_ In her mind's eye she could see him, being pulled away by a referee, blood running from the corner of his mouth, still ready to go. She'd been perfectly content to fuss over him after those games… her and half the other girls in the neighborhood. Bobby never had a shortage of women looking to be the one he went out with after a game.

In fact, Bobby had a string of girls, often referred to as "Bobby's Girls," by his friends, in high school. Of course, being one of "Bobby's Girls" wasn't necessarily a flattering label. He'd had a few that could be considered real girlfriends, but for the most part, if you were one of "Bobby's Girls," it just meant that he'd had you in the back seat of a car, in the park, perhaps the penalty box at the local rink, or on your parent's sofa.

That last image brought Jessie up a little short. She and Bobby had only gone on a handful of dates over a few months, not even enough that she would consider herself an "ex-girlfriend." During those weeks, Bobby had made it clear that he was eager to have sex with her… But as interested as Jessie was, she also made it abundantly clear that she wasn't about to just be one of the "Girls."

However, she had some very clear, very vivid memories of making out with Bobby on the very sofa she was sitting on at that moment. The very thought made her breath catch. _I am such an idiot. _She couldn't help but laugh at herself. _I'm as breathy as some silly teenager. _But, Bobby had always had the ability to mess up her thinking.

At that moment, Jessie wasn't the only one lost in thought. Back at the Mercer house, Bobby slouched in a living room chair. Jackie was across the room, picking aimlessly at his guitar, morose and silent. While Bobby was out, Angel had come running home with his old girlfriend, Sofi, in tow. They were half dressed and immediately raced upstairs. And now, the only real noise in the house was thumping and giggling and a few shrieks. It was interrupting Bobby's introspection and he finally got pissed.

"Jesus Christ." Bobby went to the bottom of the stairs and slammed his palm on the wall. "Keep it down! Angel, we don't need to hear everything that's going on up there. Fuck me. If I wanted porn, I would have rented a video!"

Jack snorted with laughter as he heard Angel and Sofi start to come down the stairs.

"With all that shouting, Sofi'd probably make a good porn star…" Jack started to say. His statement was cut off by an angry shriek as Sofi flew across the room at him, cursing in Spanish. She slapped him on the head and arms several times before Angel pulled her off. Jack practically fell off the sofa under her assault but stood up, still laughing.

"Baby… Baby!" Angel couldn't get another word in as she continued to rave, mixing English and Spanish with abandon. Bobby and Jack caught "insulting," "ass hole," "disrespectful," and "little prick."

"If she'd do a movie with me she'd know it isn't so little." Jack threw his hips around in an exaggerated thrust, drawing more ire from Sofi as Angel hauled her back up the stairs.

"Shut up," said Bobby, but he couldn't help but grin at his younger brother. "La Vida Loca would rip it right off of you. She's that kind of girl." He threw himself back down in the chair and looked out the window again.

_That kind of girl._

For a split second, Bobby could have sworn he saw his mother. He could hear her voice as clearly as if she was still alive and standing next to him...

"_You be smart about those girls, Bobby," _she'd told him._ "There are a whole lot out there who will want you for all the wrong reasons. They won't really care about you; they just want to be 'Bobby's Girl.' They want what you represent, what they think you can give them. But they won't care about you if that changes. You want sex? They'll give it to you at the drop of a hat because they think that's how they'll keep you."_

"_Sex? Ma, I'm not having sex…" Bobby started to say._

"_Don't you bullshit me, Robert Mercer. You are. You know it and I know it. And the girls you're doing it with are all easy. Not nice girls."_

_Bobby managed to feel a bit embarrassed. He was having sex, but it was weird to know that his mother knew. "Ma, those are the only kinds of girls I know. There aren't any nice girls around here."_

"_Not true," Evelyn said to her son. "What about Jessie?"_

"_What's so special about Jessie? She's gotten in her share of trouble, too." Bobby was still smarting from the fact that Jessie wouldn't play his game. He'd broken up with her a few weeks before, but found that he still thought about her. A lot. Not that he was going to admit that to anyone._

"_I know she has, but what's different is her heart and that's what counts. She's got some self-respect. She's the kind of girl who will stick with you if you respect her. The kind of girl you bring home to meet your mother. THAT'S the kind of girl you need, Bobby. A girl like Jessie."_

Bobby sighed heavily and kicked a pillow onto the floor. Jackie looked up from his guitar, but didn't ask.

_Ma was right,_ Bobby thought. _None of the girls I ran with really gave a shit about me. Jessie never let me down. Even after I dumped her because I couldn't get in her pants, even then she'd come to my hockey games. She even covered for me once so I wouldn't get in trouble with Ma…_

_Ma…_

Outside, the wind howled again, and his thoughts turned from old memories to darker thoughts. Those sons of bitches had shot her. Shot the best mother that four degenerate bastards like him and his brothers could have hoped to have. He was going to find the two men who murdered his mother, and when he did, Bobby Mercer was going to kill them.

a-a-a-a-a-a

_That's it for this chapter. I know it was mostly background, but hopefully it was useful and, perhaps, even a little interesting. Would love to get reviews and feedback. Let me know what you're thinking._

_Disclaimer: All major characters other than Jessie were created by others. I thank them for their creation and for the ability to use them for my own writing pleasure. _


	3. Chapter 3: The Michigan Mauler

**Chapter 3: The Michigan Mauler**

Thanksgiving at the Mercer house was a short affair. The boys had cooked a turkey because – as Jeremiah said – they should at least try to act like a family. But the empty chair at the head of the table weighed heavily on all four, and each got caught up in memories of their mother. Before long, Bobby was verbally whipping them to go outside and play some pickup hockey. It was a holiday tradition and although Angel bitched about it to start, he went anyway.

It was a rough and tumble game, just what they needed to momentarily forget their troubles. The verbal barbs flew as frequently as the checks and Bobby made sure to critique Jack's skating and checking ability, saying that he needed to make a man out of his brother. Jerry also was less than amused when Bobby used his cell phone as a puck.

With her father in Florida, Jessie hadn't really done much for Thanksgiving. A turkey was too much for just her, so she'd made a small roast chicken and some sides. After, when her pants felt far too tight, she headed out for a walk. Her steps took her to the local rink, figuring someone would be playing hockey. She stepped up in the make-shift bleachers and sat down. The first thing she saw was the red Michigan Wings game jersey with the big 24 on the back.

Bobby Mercer. The Michigan Mauler.

She watched him chase someone on the other team and throw a casual hip check that knocked his opponent off balance. As he skated by, Jessie started shouting.

"You're getting soft, Mercer! You call that a check, you pansy?"

His head whipped around, looking for the heckler – no one dissed Bobby Mercer's hockey game – and then he realized it was Jessie. "I can check harder than that," she shouted. The next two checks that Bobby threw rang bells and left his victims disoriented.

_There's the hockey player I remember._ For two years after high school, Bobby'd managed to start a promising career in the AA hockey league as part of the Michigan Wings. While his skills were good and he was plenty talented, Bobby was alternately termed a mucker (a good defensive player who doesn't score many points but also adds a physical temperament to the game – a trouble maker) and a goon (a player with little other purpose than to try and get players to fight).

Bobby had been a goon extraordinaire. He was thrown out of nearly 60 games before the league finally had enough of him and kicked him out. Jessie remembered being at one game where he started with one player and managed to take two others down during the same fight. He got thrown out of that game, and shortly after he was dubbed the "Michigan Mauler." The moniker stuck for the rest of his career and beyond.

The pick-up game went on for another 20 minutes and after a cursory shaking of hands, Bobby skated over.

"Hey, Bobby. Good game."

"You didn't seem to think so earlier. I'm not sure if you were rooting for me or not," he said.

"I always cheer for you. But you were being lazy. No room for that in hockey." He smirked, but Jessie looked past him and smiled.

"Angel! How the hell are you?" She stood up and leaned through the gap in the fence to hug Angel Mercer. "I stopped by the other day but you weren't at the house. I'm sorry about your Mom."

"Thanks." Angel nodded. "You look good, Jessie."

"You're looking good, too… for a jarhead."

"Better than a grunt like you," Angel shot back with a grin.

"Screw you," said Jessie as he skated away. "I was a Ranger, thank you very freakin' much…"

"An Army Ranger?" Bobby raised an eyebrow. "So you know how to handle a gun?"

"More than you know," said Jessie. Then she changed the subject. "I'm stuck having to work tomorrow. What are you guys doing?"

"Got to meet with Ma's lawyer," he answered and a slight frown shadowed his face. He was also planning on finding out more about what really happened to his mother. He pushed back from the edge of the rink to follow his brothers.

"See you soon?" he asked.

"You got it."

Jessie watched him skate across the rink and caught herself sighing. She really loved Bobby in that hockey shirt.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hopefully the few who are reading are enjoying. I'm still feeling a little rusty but it is getting better. This was more of a transition chapter. Would love to hear from some readers – let me know what you think._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others._


	4. Chapter 4: Cat Fight

**Chapter 4: Cat Fight**

The day after Thanksgiving was a quiet day at the office for Jessie. Only she and one other designer were in – everyone else had taken the day off, and Jessie was looking forward to getting a lot done on her projects. While she designed two new logos and a preliminary draft for a newsletter, the Mercer brothers went to see Evelyn's lawyer. She didn't have much of an estate: the house, some jewelry, some money. They did find one surprise in her safety deposit box: Jeremiah and Jack's birth certificates and adoption papers. There were no papers for Bobby and Angel.

"… My mother was only 16 years old…" Jerry shook his head as he looked at his papers.

From the lawyers, they went to a large abandoned warehouse. It was Jerry's dream to take the hollow, dilapidated shell and turn it into retail space and luxury condos. Urban renewal at its finest. What he didn't tell his brothers was that a local thug named Victor Sweet had tried to muscle in on the job and when Jerry wouldn't cave, Victor used his influence in city government to shut Jerry down. Now he was close to bankrupt. By the time they were done with Jerry's site tour, the brothers decided it was time for a drink.

While the Mercers wrapped up at Jerry's job site, Jessie left the office and went to the Honey Bee Farms market. It was further from her house than she'd like, but Detroit had the distinction of having no major grocery store chains within the city limits. There were a few smaller markets closer – like the Highland Park Grocery Store – but that was where Evelyn Mercer had been shot and Jessie couldn't bring herself to shop there again, not yet. Jessie pushed her cart through the aisles, checking some of the things – including butter – off of her list.

A woman's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Well, look what the cat dragged in. Jessie St. James."

Jessie looked up and groaned inwardly. In front of her was one of the girls she'd despised the most in high school – Missy D'Antonio. Missy had been one of "Bobby's Girls," and had considered herself the love of Bobby's life despite clear evidence that she wasn't anything more than an easy piece of ass for him. Missy had never liked Jessie either… for the simple, illogical reason that Bobby had gone out with Jessie after he'd dumped Missy. After his relationship with Jessie had gone south, Bobby had hooked back up with Missy and she'd always done her best to hold that fact over Jessie's head.

"Hi, Missy."

Jessie looked Missy up and down; the woman looked like some kind of living, breathing stereotype. Bleach blond hair, makeup applied with a heavy hand. Heels, a clinging dress, and a short fur jacket. And Jessie would have made a bet with anyone that it was fake fur. Not because Missy supported animal welfare, but because she was tacky like that.

Missy was making the same observations about Jessie. Boots, cargo-style pants. She couldn't tell what kind of top Jessie had on because her winter jacket was still zipped up. _Look at her; she looks so butch. I bet she's a lesbian._

"I haven't seen you in… years," Missy said with a plastic smile. "You look good." It was a bald lie.

"Thanks, Missy. You haven't changed at all. Not one bit."

"Aw, you're so sweet." The fact that Jessie was insulting her completely escaped Missy. "I am the senior stylist at the Derrick Allan Salon." She preened, hoping to throw what she considered her substantial success in Jessie's face.

"How nice." Jessie noticed that Missy didn't bother asking what she did for work.

"I've heard that Bobby Mercer is back in town." Missy waited to see how Jessie reacted. She was disappointed when Jessie's face remained neutral. "I'm going to make sure I run into him; how can he resist this?" She gestured at herself.

From just around the corner, Angel's girlfriend Sofi, stopped and listened. She could just barely see Jessie and Missy through a space in the end cap. She didn't really know Jessie particularly well – they hadn't really run in the same circles back in the day. Most of what she knew Angel had told her recently. Sofi did, however, know Missy and considered her nothing more than a _mujerzuela_, a slut. She couldn't wait to see how this conversation unfolded.

"Missy, he's here because his mother was murdered, not for a booty call."

"Like I didn't know that," Missy snapped back, dropping some of her pleasant façade. "What? You want to get back with him? Butch little you? Why would he want _THAT_ when he could have me?"

That was quite enough for Jessie. She put her basket down and folded her arms in front of her. "Are you so sure he wants _you_?" Even Missy couldn't miss the sarcasm.

"Well after he dumped your frigid little ass, he came back to me. Me. I knew how to warm him up then and I know how to do it now." Missy tossed her hair, some sort of odd urban girl challenge.

_How pathetic._ "You know what, Missy?" Jessie got right up in her face. "If Bobby Mercer wants to dip into your toxic waste, then he's welcome to it. But I bet when he looks at you now, he's not going to see the easy screw from back in high school. Nah, he's going to see a used-up whore and he's not even going to want to hang out with you, let alone stick his dick in you."

From where she stood, Sofi worked hard to smother a giggle as Missy's mouth fell open. Her cheeks flamed and she reached out to grab Jessie's jacket and slap her. Jessie blocked the slap easily and held Missy's wrist in a tight grip.

"I didn't like you in high school, Missy, and I don't like you now. Don't make the mistake of starting trouble with me." She released Missy with a shove, snatched up her basket and left. She could feel Missy's angry stare lancing into her back.

Sofi hurried the other way; she couldn't wait to get back and tell Angel what she'd seen, but Angel wasn't home when Sofi got there. He and his brothers were at the local bar, raising their glasses in memory of their mother or, as Bobby said, "to Evelyn Mercer, the best mother four degenerate bastards could ever have."

From there, the bartender – Johnny G – filled the four brothers in on the word on the street about Evelyn's death. From what he'd heard, it wasn't a random killing. Evelyn had been the target, and there was only one witness the cops talked to. All of this just made Bobby angrier and more determined to punish the people involved. He knew the police weren't going to dig deep enough. He and his brothers were going to have to do it.

From the bar, Jerry headed home, but Bobby, Jack and Angel headed out to find one of the witnesses. They raided a rave party in an abandoned building, posed momentarily as cops, and terrorized someone who would know the true story… or at least part of it. He told them that there was no way the story given to the cops could hold up. The official police report said that a witness had seen the shooters from the basketball court across the street, but according to this man, the lights at the court went out at 10:00. The shooting had happened at 11:00.

They forcibly dragged him to the court to see if his story was true. He almost wet himself when the lights didn't shut off and Bobby looked at Angel and said, "Let's pop this motherfucker." As they'd started to drag him, struggling, towards an alley, his luck changed – the lights went out at 10:03.

Bobby, Angel and Jack knew then that they had to find the witness who had talked to the cops and given them the false story. The shooters would have bribed him to throw the cops off of their trail.

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_Author's note: Hi everyone. Thank you all for reading. Looks like I've picked up a couple new readers on this story. I hope you're all enjoying it. I'd definitely like to get some feedback on what you like – and what you may NOT like. Please feel free to leave reviews. I'd love to hear from you._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others._


	5. Chapter 5: The Real Story

**Chapter 5: The Real Story**

The next morning found all four brothers waiting in a car outside of the Highland Park Grocery Store. They wanted to talk to the store owner and learn what he knew about the robbery and shooting. He hadn't arrived yet so they waited.

"Your old flame is sniffing around," said Angel.

"Old flame? What are you talking about?" Bobby didn't stop watching out the car window.

"Missy."

"Oh, Christ," swore Bobby as howls of laughter erupted in the back seat. Missy chasing him was the last thing he needed right now.

"And she had a 'chat' with Jessie," Angel added. "Sofi saw them at the store."

"Now that must have been interesting," said Jerry.

Bobby just laughed. When they were 16, Missy might – _might_ – have been able to take Jessie in a fight. Missy fought dirty; Bobby had seen her do it. But he'd bet good money that today, with Jessie's military experience, she would slap the shit out of Missy in short order.

"Hey," said Bobby. "There's the store owner. Let's go."

They introduced themselves to the store owner and he offered his condolences on the loss of their mother. Then they asked to watch the security video. The real story unfolded through silent, grainy, black and white images.

"This doesn't make sense," murmured Bobby as the shooters prowled through the store. "They already have the money…"

Each one of the Mercer brothers thought he was ready, strong enough to see it, but after watching the images of their mother begging for her life and then being shot in cold blood were just too much, too visceral. The shop owner watched them, his heart twisting for their pain, as tears stained their cheeks. Jack turned away in agony, the images too much for him to bear.

But the footage galvanized them. After getting a little more information from the shop keeper they left. As they burst out into the street, all heading for the basketball game at the North Central Community Center, Bobby's anger started to boil again.

"That was no gang shooting," he growled as they all broke into a run. "That was an execution. They set Mom up. They set her up!"

A game was in progress when they walked into the gym. They scanned the crowd, looking for a black man with an afro who only wore a sweatshirt, no coat. But there were too many people in the crowd to pick out an individual like that. They were going to have to take a more drastic step. Jerry groaned – that meant Bobby was going to wing it, and shit always got a little crazy when Bobby was improvising.

Jack looked at the crowd in the stands. "We're gonna get killed."

"What you mean 'we,' white boy?" countered Angel.

Angel and Jack split up to watch the crowd while Bobby boldly walked out into the middle of the game on the court. Jerry followed, wondering if he was going to be able to keep Bobby alive.

Bobby managed to keep both teams at bay when he pulled a gun out of his waist band. He started shouting to the crowd, telling them he just wanted to talk to the person who witnessed his mother's murder. No one stepped forward, but Jack saw one young man get up to leave in a big hurry. He followed him out and chased him down the hall until Angel came from the other direction. Jack ran back and signaled to Bobby and Jerry that they found someone.

Bobby tossed the ball back to the ref. "You've all been upstanding citizens," he shouted. "Enjoy your game."

They managed to discover that the witness' name was Damien and he lived just around the corner, and they left the community center with a purpose. They drove to where Damien lived and sat in the car, waiting. They passed the time with some casual conversation.

"Not sure how you did it, Angel. Six months at a time. No women?" Bobby was thinking of Angel's time in the Marines.

"Naw, man. We're co-ed now. Got women in the unit," his brother answered.

"But they look like dudes," said Bobby. From the back seat, Jack snickered.

"Shit, not after six months they don't." Angel was laughing.

"Bet Jessie never looked like a dude." Bobby's eyes shifted to the rearview mirror and he stared at Jack, who kept running his mouth. "Bet she looked fine in a tank top and fatigues hugging her…"

"Stop with the comments and fucking pay attention, Jackie," Bobby interrupted. "Don't be talking about her like that…"

"Awwww…" Jack's grin got even bigger. Just more proof, as far as he was concerned, that Bobby was more than just hot for Jessie.

"Both of you shut up," said Jerry. "Open the door. I've got to go. I've got gymnastics."

Bobby snorted. "Don't forget your leotard."

"Hey! Don't give me that. The girls have gymnastics and I have to take them. Let me out." He made sure to hit the back of Bobby's seat as he got out of the car. After Jerry left, they sat in relative silence. Jack sang softly under his breath, working out the lyrics to a song while he drew aimless designs on the frost-crusted car window. Then he saw him… a black dude with an afro, wearing a brown sweatshirt and no jacket.

"Hey! There he is. That's him."

Bobby, Jack and Angel all raced for the building. If they didn't get there before Damien got in the elevator, they'd never know what floor he was on. They ran down the hall and as they got closer, Bobby shouted.

"Damien."

The man looked over and gasped as Bobby pulled a gun – a big gun – out of the waist of his pants. "You Damien? We just want to talk."

Damien jumped in the elevator and frantically pressed the 'close door' button. The three Mercers ran towards him, Angel commenting the whole way about how Bobby had to wave a gun around. They reached the elevator doors just as they closed and Bobby kicked them as hard as he could. Inside, all Damien could wonder was, who the fuck are these guys? And why are they looking for me?

"Jackie. You stay here and tell me what floor he stops at…" Bobby headed for the stairs with Angel right behind him. They surged up the stairs, taking two steps at a time and by the fourth floor, their legs and their lungs were burning.

In the lobby, Jack stared at the lighted buttons and finally it stopped. He ran to the stairwell and shouted up, "Six! It stopped at six!"

Bobby was on the fifth floor when he heard Jack's voice. "Fuck," he muttered. And Angel was still a floor behind him.

When Bobby got to the sixth floor, he ran into the hall just in time to see Damien disappear into an apartment. He started to run down the hall when Damien stuck his head back out the door. "Got something for you," he shouted. Then he let his two dogs – a Rottweiler and a mutt – out of the apartment. They raced down the hall towards Bobby barking and snarling.

He managed to get off a few shots while Damien screamed at him not to shoot the dogs. One dog grabbed Bobby's leg and made him fall; the other sank his teeth into Bobby's jacket and started shaking him. Even with the leather jacket, Bobby could feel the Rotti's teeth sinking into his arm. He shouted for Angel as his brother appeared.

"Get them off me, Angel. Get them off!"

Angel grabbed a fire extinguisher and blasted the dogs with the spray. They yelped and ran, eyes stinging from the chemicals. Angel helped Bobby to his feet and they kicked open the door to Damien's apartment. Damien, however, was using a rope to climb down the outside of the building. They exchanged gun shots until Bobby saw the meat cleaver in the kitchen. He took the blade and cut Damien's rope and Damien fell, screaming, several floors to the ground.

"Is he dead?" asked Angel.

"No, he's just fucked up. Let's go talk to him now."

Angel, Bobby, and Jack strolled out in the frigid air to "talk" to Damien. They were all quite impressed with the condition of Damien's leg; it looked like, as Bobby said, a Chinese spare rib. After a brief conversation and the distinct possibility they were going to leave him out in the cold and impending storm to freeze to death, Damien relented and told them where the shooters would be hanging out and what they looked like.

Maverick Ink was only a few blocks from the community center and the apartments where Damien lived. Jessie had gone in for her normal shift but because of the storm the shop was closing early. Customers had cancelled and Louie sent Jessie and Tank, the other artist, home. She was walking to her car when she noticed three figures coming towards her. The snow was getting heavier, and the roads were covered, but she could still recognize Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby…"

He didn't answer and she moved over to stop him from walking by, but Bobby shouldered past her. Then she saw the blood on his jacket and hand.

"Bobby? You're hurt!"

"He got bit by a dog…" said Jack.

"Shut up, Jackie!"

"A dog? You need a tetanus shot… Bobby, you're bleeding."

"Not now. We've got business to take care of. Stay out of it, Jessie." Bobby's face was as grim as Jessie had ever seen it and it was matched by Angel and Jack. While she looked at him, Bobby gestured to his brothers. "Get in the car." It was an order. Jessie had a horrible feeling deep down in her gut. There was going to be blood by the end of the night.

"Bobby. The storm…" She tried to think of something, anything, she could say to keep him out of his car. Reaching out, she tried to take his coat, but Bobby seized her by the upper arm. His grip was so hard that she winced in pain. He eased the pressure but didn't let go.

"They aren't going to get away with this." He turned away. As he got into the car, she could see Jack looking out the back window at her.

"Be careful!" Her shout was into the wind and she didn't know if they heard her or not as Bobby's car pulled away and sped down the road.

Unexpected tears burned in Jessie's eyes and she hastily wiped them away. Getting in her car, she had to grip the wheel to keep her hands from shaking. Jessie pulled away from the curb and started to head home. She hesitated at the intersection. Left would take her home. Instead she turned right.

And she went to the Mercer house.

Sofi peeked through the curtains. As soon as she realized it was Jessie on the porch, she opened the door. "Oh my God," she cried. "What's happened? Where is my Angel?"

"They were fine when I saw them…"

"Were? WERE? Where are they? ¡Mierda! Mataré ese idiota. El hijo de una ramera. Si él se muere..." Sofi continued cursing as Jessie followed her into the house. They went to the kitchen and sat down.

"They wouldn't say where they were going, but it was to find someone. It has to be someone connected with Evelyn's death." Jessie nodded as Sofi gestured towards the coffee. "Bobby was already hurt. Jack said a dog had bitten him."

"Ah, para el amor de Dios. A dog?"

Jessie shook her head. She didn't have any answers. "Can I stay here for now, Sofi? I need to be here when he gets back… When they all get back." Both women sat in silence, each thinking the same thing.

_What if they don't come back? _

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hello. This was a bit of a long chapter. I've been trying to do synopsis sections of the movie so that it makes sense to those who may not have seen it, but also so I am not pulling out big chunks of the screen play writer's work. Would appreciate your feedback on how well that is working… and any other feedback you might have. Thanks for reading._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only._


	6. Chapter 6: Lies

**Chapter 6: Lies**

It was early morning and Bobby sat at the kitchen table, stripped to the waist, while Jessie cleaned the dog bites. They'd argued extensively the night before – once the brothers got home – about him needing to get a tetanus booster in case the damn thing had rabies, but Bobby was of no mind to go to a hospital. So Jessie had taken matters into her own hands, waking up an old friend who owed her a favor, and getting the necessary shot. Once she'd gotten back to the Mercer house, she'd bullied Bobby – much to everyone else's amusement – into letting her give him the shot and bandage him up. He yelped as she scrubbed one of the bite wounds.

"Don't be such a pussy, Bobby," said Sofi.

"Shut up, Vida Loca," he snapped back. "Go make yourself useful."

Jessie wrapped a bandage around Bobby's lower arm. She wasn't happy with the way the wound was still bleeding. "You checking me out?" he asked playfully, noticing her appraising look.

"You caught me. You've got nice ink…"

"That a professional opinion?"

"It is…" _And let's not talk about the fact that you are totally hot and the ink just makes you hotter…_, she added to herself. On his left shoulder was a skull with wild black hair. Around his neck and down to the middle of his chest, a rosary. On the back of his neck, two hearts hanging from the rosary, and above that, his initials. Then, across his shoulders in the back, the phrase "no mercy."

"Got the mercy one when you were with the Michigan Wings, right? It still looks good. Nice and tight." She nodded. The lettering looked simple but as a professional herself, she knew that the artist had worked very hard to make the letters high-quality.

Throughout this, Jack and Angel had been watching Jessie work. "You know your way around a medical kit," said Angel.

Jessie nodded but didn't look up. "Spent some time in Afghanistan and a few other places when I was in the army. Sometimes the medic had too much to do, so you had to learn."

Angel remembered her comment from the hockey game on Thanksgiving. "You were in the Rangers, right?" He kept watching her.

"Yep."

"Specialty?"

Jessie's eyes slid to the side and she regarded Angel frankly, and then she looked back down at what she was doing. "Sharpshooter," she finally said. Bobby turned his head, surprised, but she wasn't looking at him either.

"You were a sniper?" By the tone of his voice, Jack was clearly impressed.

"I was and I don't really want to talk about it."

There was an edge in Jessie's voice that made all three Mercer boys back off from any other questions they might have had. Then a motion outside distracted Angel. _Oh crap,_ he thought. Two of Detroit's finest – Fowler and Green – were almost at the house.

"HEY!" he shouted. "Cops are in the house!" Through the window, he could see Green and Fowler opening the porch door. While they let themselves in, Jessie and Sofi scrambled to find something – anything – for Bobby to wear and conceal the dog bites. Fowler and Green came into the living room to find Bobby dressed in his pants with Sofi's black robe – with pink roses on it – wrapped around him. He looked like some sort of Hugh Hefner knock-off.

"Very sexy," said Green.

"You like this?" Bobby said. He stroked his hands on the cool satin. "Jackie wanted this little number for himself, but I fought him for it."

Fowler got right to the point. "Where were you last night?" he demanded. "We've got two bodies and a wrecked car, and I know you're responsible, Mercer. These two were straight up executed. And you're going down for it."

"Whatever. It isn't true and even if it was, you've got no evidence." Bobby sat down, clearly unimpressed. Angel slouched in the chair near Bobby and in the doorway to the hall, Jack and Sofi watched the interplay. Jessie was in the kitchen behind them, where the police couldn't see her for the moment.

Based on Jack's face, you'd never know that all he could see was the scene the night before…

_Based on Damien's information, they'd found the two shooters in the Casino Restaurant. The two idiots had shot first and that was all of the evidence the Mercers needed. They'd chased them out of the building and watched the two pull out in their dark green El Camino. A moment later, they were after them in Bobby's car, sliding all over the snow-covered road._

_Bobby was driving and Angel was shooting out the window with the Ruger P90 they'd taken from Damien. Both cars started colliding, trying to knock each other off of the road. Bobby managed to get the El Camino spinning and then slammed the brakes and spun his car sideways. The sides of the cars smashed and the El Camino rose up off the ground and began to flip. It turned over several times before skidding to a halt – on its roof – on the slick road._

_Bobby, Angel and Jack all got out of their car. Halfway to the wreck, Bobby ordered Jack to stay there. The youngest Mercer obeyed, torn between wanting to be part of what was happening and a cold curl of fear that told him Bobby and Angel would have blood on their hands before they were done._

_While the driving snow obscured them, Jack watched his brothers pull the two men out of their car and start to beat them, demanding to know who'd hired them to kill Evelyn Mercer. A moment later, Bobby and Angel both stepped back and two gunshots cracked in the darkness._

Jack blinked rapidly, erasing the memory and trying to focus back on the scene in his living room. He was glad they'd done it; those two bastards got what they deserved as far as he was concerned – they were the ones who had pulled the trigger and killed the only real mother he'd ever known. But the Mercers weren't done. Those two were just the hitters; they were after the man who hired them. And Jack was damned if he was going to say or do anything that might jeopardize that – or his brothers.

"Okay, tough guy." Fowler pushed it. "It doesn't really matter to me. You're the heavyweight fuck up of the family, Bobby. You've already done time. This will put you away for good…"

"Let's just dial it back for a minute." Green tried to back Fowler off. He knew Bobby, and going at him, guns blazing, was exactly the wrong approach. The more Fowler accused, the less likely it was that Bobby would even consider cooperating with the police.

Fowler ignored him. "Where were you last night?" he demanded.

"Maybe he was doing your Mom," said Angel sullenly. Fowler moved forward angrily, but Detective Green grabbed his arm.

Then, unexpectedly, Jessie came into the room, got on the sofa, and curled up next to Bobby so that his arm was around her shoulder. "If you must know where Bobby was last night, he was with me."

"With you?" Fowler's eyes narrowed.

"Yea, with me. Do I really need to spell it out for you?"

"Maybe you do." Fowler tried to intimidate Jessie with a cold stare.

"He was with me – in bed – all night. But it has probably been so long since you've been with a woman you didn't need to pay that you don't remember what it's like to have someone spend the night because she wants to."

Angel knew it was a lie, and while Fowler turned utterly red in the face, he put on the biggest, shit-eating grin he could manage. "You dog," he said to Bobby. "You hit that and you didn't tell me? Shit…"

"What can I say?" Bobby shrugged. "I'm a gentleman."

Fowler's scowl could have cracked a mirror. "He was with you? Really. You expect me to believe that?"

"Are you callin' me a liar?" Jessie stood up from the sofa and put her hands on her hips. An aggressive, challenging pose. "Are you callin' me a LIAR? Well, you know what OFFICER, it is none of your God-damned business what we did, but if you want the dirt, I can dish it…"

Bobby reached out and grabbed her hand to pull her back towards him. "No, they don't get any details, baby. Those are just for us. I'm the only one who gets to know what kinda things you do to me." His eyes stayed locked on Jessie's.

"You're right. That's just between us." She bent down so that Fowler got a good look at the dragon tattoo on her lower back – and planted a lingering kiss square on Bobby's lips. "I've got to go. I'm going to be late for work. See you soon?"

"You bet," said Bobby. As she headed for the hall, his eyes followed her, watching the swing of her hips. His lips were tingling from the kiss. _Holy shit, she is so sexy…_

"Don't make it too long," Jessie said as she reached the doorway. "It will be the black baby doll next time…"

_Black baby doll?_ Bobby completely forgot about Fowler and Green. He forgot about Angel and Jackie and Sofi. For a few seconds his entire imagination was filled with images of Jessie wearing nothing but a sheer black baby-doll, sitting on the edge of his bed, waiting for him, ready to do all of the unnamed things she'd hinted at. He was grateful Sofi's robe covered the top of his pants.

"Need any other information?" Angel asked the cops.

"No, that's all. Thanks for your cooperation," said Green. He gave his partner a shove towards the door. Fowler muttered something moderately obscene under his breath and just walked back to the car.

The police car drove away, and Angel and Jackie looked at their brother. Angel whistled and said, "She just lied her ass off for you, Bobby."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: This one came together pretty quickly. Might be a few days for the next one – it is just a pile of notes right now, so I've got a lot of work to do. As always, thank you for reading and I'd love to get feedback!_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only._


	7. Chapter 7: The Next Move

**Chapter 7: The Next Move**

Victor Sweet stalked into the restaurant and you could feel the anger radiating out from him. Behind him was Tyrell Marcus, his new favorite right-hand man. Tyrell was looking forward to this scene. Ahead of them, he could see the rest of the crew scrambling to shoo their women to another table. Victor stopped at the side of the table, and folded his hands in front of him.

Softly, he said, "Out of town shooters. I specifically asked for out of town shooters." No one at the table said anything. Victor looked around and shook his head. He was disgusted by his crew right now. It was a simple order and the idiots still screwed it up. Behind him, Tyrell just smirked.

"Do you know why you pay a whore?" asked Victor. "You don't pay her to fuck you; you pay her to LEAVE. So, what do you pay out of town shooters to do? LEAVE. But no, you got me in-town shooters."

And the in-town shooters were now dead and he had in-town trouble.

One of the men at the table took a bite of his pasta, and Victor lost it. He focused his anger and frustration on him, shouting and screaming. Eventually he had his henchman and the man's wife on their hands and knees, eating their meal off of the floor while other patrons looked on, shocked, but too fearful to do anything about it. Victor Sweet had a reputation. Humiliation was his stock in trade and he relished the power he had over others.

"Tyrell," he said. "Find out who killed my shooters. And when you do, tell me. Don't touch them. Just tell me."

"You won't be disappointed," said Tyrell. He smiled. This was his big chance. Success here would cement him as Victor's favorite. Six months after that, Tyrell might be running the whole show if he played his cards right. The others at the table kept their faces blank to mask any feelings they had about Tyrell.

Back at the Mercer house, Bobby was looking through the wallets that he and Angel took off of the shooters. It was just after sunset and dark enough that they could break into the shooters' apartment and rifle through it. There might be information there about who had hired them.

As they got ready to go, Sofi confronted Angel. She's spent the day cooking and it was going to go to waste if the brothers left. It turned into a three way argument with Sofi finally using the guilt card on Angel… "You promised it would be different this time," she said in a sad voice, tears in her eyes.

Bobby imitated her. "Aie, Mammie. You're breakin' mi corazon. Chica…" and Sofi stormed into the kitchen.

Angel sighed, "Why do you have to do that, Bobby?" His brother had just made Angel's life a lot more difficult.

"What is going on with you, Angel?" Bobby went toe to toe with his brother. "I thought you were a macho man, a tough guy. You know, it is a real shame that little Jackie is the only one down to ride. Let's go." Bobby walked into the hall and called back, "Jackie, say good-bye to your little sister."

Angel threw his hands up in aggravation. He only needed fifteen minutes with Sofi but Bobby wasn't waiting. The door slammed. Angel sighed again and went to find his girlfriend. He found Sofi sitting on the washer and he smiled. When they were young and first having sex, the laundry room – with the washer on spin – had been their favorite room in the house. It still was.

While they enjoyed the Mercer appliances, Bobby and Jackie tossed the shooters' apartment. When Bobby pushed the mattress of one bed off of the bedspring he discovered a gun stash: a nice Mossberg 500 Cruiser 12-gauge shotgun with a pistol handle, several .9 mm Berettas, a SIG-Sauer P220 .45, and another 15 or so random handguns. He put them all in his large duffle bag. In the next room, Jack hadn't found much other than a digital camera that he stuffed in his jacket pocket.

Back at the house, Angel and Sofi's romp was interrupted by an insurance agent with questions about Evelyn's life insurance policy. By the time the agent was done, Angel realized that Jerry was getting a big check thanks to their mother's death, and he hadn't told any of them about it. But Angel knew he needed to do some investigating before he brought this information to Bobby and Jack.

About an hour later, Bobby and Jack got back to the house. As they sorted the guns on the table, Jerry came in. Angel gave him a vile look but kept his mouth shut.

"Hey!" Jack was looking through the camera. "Look at these pictures. They were following Mom and there are pictures of her with that lawyer guy. That shithead said he didn't know her."

It didn't take much conversation but this time, all four brothers headed out. They all wanted to know why Bradford, the lawyer, had lied to them. Angel ignored the angry glare from Sofi. She was still upset that Angel had locked her on the porch in her bra and panties while he talked to the insurance agent.

Their foray into the lawyer's home was short lived. Not long after Jack got into Bradford's laptop and they discovered meetings with the initials "EM" for several nights, including the one when Evelyn was killed, they suddenly heard Sofi screaming in the driveway. She had followed them and was outside blowing her car horn and shouting that there were robbers in the house.

They rushed out to keep her quiet and while they were all milling and shouting in the driveway, Bradford pulled in with his own car and stared – bewildered – at the melee in his yard. Bobby saw him first, hurried to the car and pulled him out, dumping Bradford onto the snow. After giving him several barehanded slaps to the belly, Bobby demanded to know why Bradford had lied to them about knowing their mother.

"And don't fucking lie to me!" he shouted.

"I was concerned about her reputation!" he cried.

"Her reputation?" said Bobby. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?"

Bradford sputtered, spitting a little snow out of his mouth. "Your mother and I… we were seeing each other… socially…"

"Socially?" said Bobby and suddenly he realized what was being said. Bradford and his mother were dating.

"Yes, socially." Bradford saw glimmer of hope as he realized that Bobby understood what he was talking about. "I have some of her night clothes if you want them back."

"Night clothes?" OH! No, no." Bobby was horrified at the thought. He helped the lawyer to his feet and started to brush the snow off Bradford's long wool coat. "I'm very sorry about this Mr. Bradford. My brothers and I are just trying to find out what happened to our mother. I'm afraid we broke your back window…"

"That's, that's fine…" Bradford was too shaken to care. Evelyn had told him about some of the trouble her boys had been into, but to be on the receiving end was an entirely different experience.

"You have a lovely home, sir." Bobby backed away.

"Thank you."

Bradford, disheveled and confused, stood in the driveway and watched the Mercer boys climb into Jerry's car. Once they got back in the car, Bobby sat in silence for a minute. Bradford had been dating his mother? What had he said? Seeing her socially? He'd asked if Bobby wanted her "night clothes" back. That meant she'd stayed overnight… that his mother and Bradford had sex…

"Holy shit," muttered Bobby. "I need a fucking drink."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Not much about Jessie in this one but I thought we needed to cover some of the movie's events before "Blood" progressed any more. Hope you enjoyed it._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only._


	8. Chapter 8: Slow Dance

**Chapter 8: Slow Dance**

The _Sin Bin_ had been in business for several generations and was the place where everyone in the neighborhood went to watch the Red Wings, Pistons, Tigers or the Lions (when they didn't suck). The food was reasonably decent and the beer was cheap, and that was all that really mattered in the working-class neighborhood.

Inside, a bar ran the length of the back, a collection of mismatched tables with stained and cracked faux-wood linoleum tops were scattered across the floor. To the side were three pool tables, and there was a dart board, too. Owner Burley Tate's only concessions to modernism were the new jukebox, which had digital selections spanning all the eras of music, and the two flat screen TVs on the walls. All the patrons knew that the first person to damage either of those TVs would find himself floating face down in the Detroit River.

The bar was fairly crowded, but it was a Thursday night and the Red Wings were playing the Bruins, so Jessie was pleased to find a seat at the barn when she stopped by after work to catch up with a few old friends and maybe see a little of the game. The only people she really recognized were Missy and several of her friends on the far side of the room, and she had no intention of talking to them. For a few minutes, she could feel Missy staring at her, waiting for Jessie to turn around. Jessie didn't give her the satisfaction and kept her attention focused on the game.

About an hour later, Jessie had just decided that – once she finished this beer – it was time to head home, when the door opened, letting in a gust of frigid air. A chill went up her back and along with the cold the wind blew in all four Mercer brothers. She recognized Bobby's voice the instant he came inside.

Jessie stopped herself from standing up and going over to see him, and she had to admit that Missy was part of the reason. She wasn't going to chase after Bobby Mercer like a schoolgirl. If he wanted to see her, he'd have to show some interest on his own - but after a minute, a little part of her relented.

"Johnny G," she said to the bartender. "Send a round of beer over to the Mercer boys. On me."

"You got it, Jessie." He brought four bottles of beer over and put them on the table.

"Now that's good service," said Angel as the unrequested beer was put down on the table in front of them.

"From Jessie." Johnny G flicked his head at the bar. Jessie raised her own bottle as a toast and turned back to watch the game.

The boys spent a few minutes talking before they were interrupted by another visitor. "Hi, Bobby." He looked up from his beer to find Missy standing at his elbow. "How you been?" She gave him a big smile and a coy look.

"Hey," was all Bobby said.

She bent down slightly so that Bobby had an inviting view down her dress. "I've missed you, Bobby," she purred. "When I heard you were back in town, I was thinking about us together. The times we used to slow dance in high school before we went out to the football field…"

Bobby cut her off. "Not now, Missy. We're kinda in the middle of something. Family stuff."

From her seat at the bar, Jessie watched out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't make out everything that was being said, but it was plain Missy wasn't welcome at the table. Missy said something else, offered one more dazzling smile, and let her finger trail down Bobby's arm before she went back to the little table she was sharing with friends. From there, she kept looking over at Bobby, hoping to catch him looking at her.

Jessie tried not to let the smile on her face appear too smugly satisfied, but Johnny G. caught her and gave Jessie a conspiratorial wink. She took one last swallow of her beer and started to push back from the bar; it was time to go home. She had a house to renovate. But before she could get down from the barstool, Jessie had company.

"Hey, Jessie. Thanks for the beer." Bobby leaned his elbow on the bar and smiled at her. She loved that smile and couldn't help but smile back. _Am I blushing?_ Her ears felt a little warm. _Maybe it's the beer._

"You're welcome."

In the background, a slow song was playing on the jukebox. Several tables had been moved so larger groups could sit together for the game, leaving an open spot of floor near the center of the room. It caught Bobby's eye. A tiny dance floor. For a split second, his eyes went to Missy, remembering what she'd said about dancing, but the memory that came up wasn't of her, it was of the one dance he'd taken Jessie to… that rocking sway with Jessie warm against him, her head on his shoulder…

"Dance with me," he said.

Jessie was caught off guard. _Dance? Here? Now? _"Dance with you?" She sounded puzzled.

Bobby took her hand and tugged her out of her seat. "Yea, dance with me, Jessie." He turned to face her and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, and almost without thinking, Jessie locked her fingers behind Bobby's neck as they started to sway. The first song ended but was immediately replaced by another, and the rough voice of Nickelback's Chad Kroeger filled the room.

Bobby pulled Jessie a little closer to him, close enough that she was pressed up against him and when Bobby lowered his head, she could feel his breath near her ear. Jessie's eyes got wider as Bobby started to half-whisper, half-sing the song's lyrics: _"…as long as I can, I'm holding on with both hands, 'cause forever I believe that there's nothing I could need but you…"  
_

From their table, Jeremiah, Angel and Jack couldn't take their eyes off of their brother. Jack took another swallow of beer. "Unbelievable. Doesn't see her for years and then 'bang,' one kiss and he fucking falls in love. Look at him."

Jerry looked thoughtful. "Mom always did say that Bobby needed a woman like Jessie."

"He fell in love with her a long time ago," said Angel. "He's just too dumb to know it." Angel glanced to the side and saw Missy glaring at the dancers, clearly incensed by what she was seeing. He saw her mouth the words, 'that bitch' to one of her friends.

"Anyone want to bet that Missy's gonna start a fight and Jessie will kick her ASS?" asked Angel. Jerry and Jack glanced over and all they did was laugh.

Wrapped up in Bobby's arms, Jessie forgot everything else in the bar. She moved her head slightly so that her cheek rested against his and started to run her fingers on the back of his neck. The gentle touch made Bobby shiver.

"Thanks for the other day," he whispered and she knew he meant with Fowler.

"No trouble at all. Fowler's an ass."

"I know. But you didn't need to do that. It means a lot to me. Think you might want to come over for dinner Saturday? Ma always liked to have a full house…"

_Come over for dinner?_ She smiled. "I'd like that."

Before she could say anything else, Bobby pulled her in close one more time and whispered the last few words of the song in her ear… _"Time is going by so much faster than I, and I'm starting to regret not spending all of it with you…"*_

He reluctantly let go of Jessie. "I'll see you soon," he said. Then Bobby went back to sit with his brothers. As the music faded away, Missy got up and headed towards Bobby. He walked right past Missy without even looking at her.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: What do you think? In most of the movie, Bobby's primary emotions are anger and sadness so I wanted to put a little something in there to show he was more than just a punch up artist, that he did have a bit of a "romantic" side when the mood strikes him. Let me know what you think… does it work?_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only._

_And one other note, any of the dialogue from Bobby in italics while he is singing to Jessie is meant to be Bobby singing the lyrics to Nickelback's song. Therefore the words are, of course, a match to the song. I am not implying in any way, shape or form that I wrote them – any quoted song lyrics are theirs and I use them only to convey the emotion and hidden thoughts of the scene. I hope Chad and the boys would consider this praise for their work._


	9. Chapter 9: New Friends, New Enemies

**Chapter 9: New Friends, New Enemies**

The next few days passed quickly. Between her regular job, some extra hours at the tattoo parlor, and finally getting her living room painted, Jessie didn't have a lot of time to do anything else. She did, however, frequently find herself daydreaming about Bobby. A few times she allowed the daydream to evolve into a full-blown fantasy.

The Mercers also kept themselves busy, continuing to follow up their own leads despite the fact that the police were standing by their gang shooting scenario. Based on some information they'd gotten, Jack and Bobby went to see Councilman Douglas, the man who'd gotten Jerry's construction project shut down. Angel, without anyone else's knowledge, followed Jerry. He hadn't wanted to believe that Jerry had taken out insurance on their mother… but when he saw Jerry go to the local credit union to collect the money, he knew it was going to get ugly.

"Jesus Christ, Jerry. What the hell have you done?" There was no one in the car with him to hear the question, and – truth be told – Angel wasn't sure he really wanted an answer. He continued to follow Jerry and eventually called Bobby and Jack to meet him at the local bowling alley.

"What did you find out?" Angel asked them.

"We got a name. Victor Sweet," said Jack.

"I know that name…" Angel tried to think of where he knew Victor from.

"Malcolm Sweet used to run a pretty bad crew. Real charmer. Used to get off on humiliating people. Victor learned a lot from him and then dumped old Malcolm in the river. Now he runs the crew." Bobby had done his own investigating.

After they discussed Victor, Angel told them about Jerry and what he'd seen. Bobby didn't believe him at first but then they all saw Jerry come in and give a brown envelope to Evan, one of Victor's crew. After their brother left, the other three Mercers went to see Evan. When he saw them coming, he told his wife to get their kids and go, but there was no time.

Bobby demanded the envelope and put his hand to his hip, a clear sign that he'd pull his gun if he needed to. Evan didn't have a choice, but he looked at all three before they left and said, "You have no idea who you're messing with…"

If Victor wasn't out to get the Mercers, he would be after this.

While Jack and Angel sat in Bobby's car outside of Jerry's house, working very hard to talk Bobby out of going inside and beating the crap out of Jerry, Sofi took a detour on her way back to the Mercer house. It was Friday. Bobby had invited Jessie over to have dinner with them the next day, and Sofi had an idea.

"Hi Sofi," said Jessie when she answered the door.

"Jessie, hi. Bobby said you are coming for dinner tomorrow? I'm making paella…"

"I'm glad you're cooking," said Jessie with a laugh. "I'm not sure I would trust any of those boys in the kitchen. Come on in for a minute." Sofi laughed at the comment and came in.

"You have a beautiful home," said Sofi as she looked around.

"Thank you." Jessie smiled. "I just finished painting this room the other day; tonight I'm putting up the new window treatments."

"Well, it looks wonderful. I stopped by because I was wondering, well…" She hesitated. "I don't really know you that well and I thought we could maybe cook together tomorrow. Get to know each other a little better…"

"Sure. I'd like that." It was an unexpected request, but not an unwelcome one. Sofi might be La Vida Loca, but she had a good heart and Jessie liked her. "I've never made paella but I've had it. Maybe you could teach me how to cook it?"

"Of course! Could you come over a little after noon?"

"I'll be there."

Across town, another conversation was happening at the same time. In the basement of his luxurious house, Victor Sweet was listening to Douglas complain about the visit he'd received from Bobby and Jack. Victor sighed. He was getting tired of hearing the name Bobby Mercer.

Growing up, Bobby had been a big man in the neighborhood, but he'd been gone for a long time. Victor had expanded his influence in Bobby's absence and he had no intention of letting a Mercer – any Mercer – screw up his plans. Evan had also just finished telling him how Bobby had taken back a payment that Jerry Mercer had owed Victor.

Yes, he was getting very, very tired of Bobby Mercer.

He leaned back and fixed a contemptuous look on Douglas. "Evan and I were just talking about this Bobby Mercer. He'll be handled…" He gave Tyrell an evil smile. "Now, I'm not done with my game. Go sit at the other table."

Douglas looked around. The only other table was the kiddies table where several children were playing Go Fish. For a moment, Douglas hesitated but moved quickly enough when Sweet screamed, "I SAID GO SIT AT THE KIDS' TABLE!"

As they got ready to deal another hand, Victor leaned back in his chair. "So, Charlie. I hear you're marrying that fine piece of ass of yours."

Charlie chuckled as he dealt. "Yea, next spring in fact." He nodded. Andrea was a beautiful woman; he wasn't sure what she saw in him, but she obviously saw something because she'd said yes when he proposed.

"Maybe I'll send you out of town on a little business and while you're gone, I can teach that woman of yours something. A new trick or two." Victor licked his lips, thinking of Andrea. Charlie briefly hesitated as he tossed the next card.

"Maybe you can teach her how to cook," he joked.

"Oh, I bet I can teach her better things than that. She's too much woman for a guy like you, Charlie. You're going to have to share her around a little. Right, Tyrell?" Victor rubbed his hands together, delighted at the prospect.

"I think that's a fine idea." Tyrell had a few ideas of his own about what he might do with Andrea.

Charlie, on the other hand, was not delighted. He glanced at Evan who gave a subtle shake of his head. Charlie knew he was right, if he said anything, both he and his fiancée would suffer. Victor had gone too far, but Charlie knew he wasn't strong enough to do anything about it.

"So, what do you have in mind for Mercer?" asked Tyrell.

"No need to discuss details." Victor looked smug. "But he won't be our problem for long."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: It wouldn't be a Four Brothers fic without some sort of appearance by Victor. This is more of a transitional chapter, but I hope you still enjoyed it. More from Bobby and Jessie soon._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only._


	10. Chapter 10: Blood and Death

**Chapter 10: Blood and Death**

When Jessie arrived to help Sofi cook, Bobby said hello but it was clear his mind was somewhere else and he wasn't happy. Jessie considered just going home but Sofi seemed to really want her to stay, so they went into the kitchen. They were both chatting when Jerry arrived. He came in through the back door, said hello as he passed through the kitchen, and then went into the living room.

When he got into the living room, Angel and Jack were on the sofa. Angel had the plain brown envelope and flashed some of the money they'd taken back from Evan. Jerry felt sick.

"Oh, man! You don't know who you're messing with!" shouted Jerry. He paused for a spit second and then said, "Where's Bobby?"

Before the words were fully out of his mouth, Bobby came up from his blind side and punched him in the stomach, sending Jerry to his knees. "What are you hidin', Jerry? If I thought you had something to do with what happened to Ma, I swear to God, Jerry, I'm gonna kill you right here and now."

"Bobby, no!" shouted Sofi. She and Jessie had rushed in as soon as they heard the commotion. Jessie echoed the cry.

The brothers continued shouting and arguing, pushing each other in the living room. Several vases and nick-nacks fell from shelves. Jerry finally got to his feet, punched Angel hard enough to spin him around, and shoved Bobby back. "Is that what you think?" he shouted. "Is that what you think? That I set Ma up to be killed?"

"Tell me different, Jerry. You got 400,000 reasons to lie. What's the money for?" Bobby yelled.

"Mom took out that policy for the girls…"

"Then why were you paying for it?" Bobby was ready to throttle his brother.

"Pay for it?" Jerry shoved Bobby, hard. "I paid ALL her bills! I've been taking care of her for years. And where were you? Where were any of you? I took care of her when none of you all were around to do it."

That was the truth and it took some of the wind out of Bobby's sails.

As Jerry was explaining that the bribe for Sweet was to get his project back on track, there was a knock at the door. While they seemed to be past the shouting part of the discussion, it was clear that Jerry, Bobby, and Angel were all too engrossed in their pissing contest to pay attention to the door. Jack got up from the sofa and went to see who it was. He opened the door only to be struck in the face with a snowball.

"You asshole!" he shouted.

As he wiped the snow out of his eyes, Jack could see the back of a man walking away. The hood of his sweatshirt was up but the voice trailed back clearly: "Your mother was a whore." And he gave Jack the finger.

"Sonofabitch! I'll kick your ass…" Jack charged down the steps after the hooded figure. As he ran, Jack managed to scoop up some snow and ice, ready to pitch it in payback for the one he'd caught in the doorway. Suddenly, the man he was chasing stopped and turned. He was wearing a hockey mask. In an instant, Jackie realized he was in trouble – deep trouble – and tried to skid to a halt as he saw the gun being pointed at him.

Inside the house, Bobby realized Jack wasn't in the living room. "JACK!" he shouted and raced towards the door.

For Jack, everything slowed as he watched the gun level. He scrambled backward a few steps but knew he couldn't get away. The first shot roared and the bullet ripped into Jack's right shoulder. He cried out in pain and clutched at the wound, dropping to his knees in shock. He looked up, straight into the barrel of the gun as his mystery assailant aimed directly at his head.

But that shot never came. Instead the next concussion from a gun came from the pump-action shotgun that Bobby grabbed as he ran out of the porch. The full force of the shot hit Jack's attacker right in the chest and sent him careening backward.

"Jack!" All Bobby could see was the blood pouring out of Jack's shoulder as his youngest brother struggled to his feet and hobbled towards the house, towards safety.

Then everything went to hell.

Out of a non-descript panel van came a half dozen men in ski masks with automatic weapons.

"Oh SHIT," said Bobby. He took another shot with the shot gun, but the six opened fire – one deliberately targeting Jack. Bobby, Angel, Jerry, Jessie and Sofi all watched Jack take several bullets to the back. He lurched forward, eyes wide with terror, and fell to his knees again.

"Bobby!" he shouted as he crawled towards the house. He made it to a snow bank and clutched at a telephone pole. The hail of bullets from the automatic weapons forced everyone else back inside the Mercer home. Bullets shattered wood and glass. Huddled on the floor, Sofi screamed in terror and everyone huddled against walls, trying to stay out of the line of fire.

Firing the Mossberg shotgun out of one of the porch windows, Bobby took out one of the shooters. He could just barely see Jack in the snow bank. "Jackie!" he shouted. "Hang on!"

"Bobby!" There was a level of terror in Jack's voice that Bobby had never heard before.

"Sofi," cried Angel. "My guns!" Sofi slid two handguns across the glass-strewn floor and Angel started firing as well. Jerry was pinned down by the gunfire.

"Do you have another gun?" shouted Jessie.

"Living room table. Don't know about bullets," yelled Angel. Jessie crawled along the ground, staying as low as possible as glass and plaster pelted her. At the table, she reached up enough to grab a gun. It was one of the .9 mm Berettas and it was loaded. It would have to do. She started to crawl towards a window where she'd have a better shot.

"Jack!" Jerry called for his brother, too. Another hail of bullets riddled the house as Bobby started firing with the shot gun again. One of the masked shooters realized where the shells were coming from.

"He's behind the bricks!" he shouted. "Jackhammer!" The four remaining shooters concentrated their fire on the porch and the force of the bullets started to destroy the bricks. Bobby scrambled along the floor, trying to stay out of the way. The hail of gunfire knocked more pictures off of the wall. Jerry looked down at the shattered picture of him and Camille and all he could think about was his two little girls. He got up and started to half-scramble half-run through the kitchen.

"Jeremiah, where are you going?" screamed Sofi.

As he got into the kitchen, he saw one of the shooters creeping around to the back door. The masked gunman shot the lock off the back door and charged into the kitchen. From the small pantry, Jerry jumped out and stabbed him several times in the chest with a kitchen knife, shouting about how he had a wife, and a family, and a life. Then he ran out the back and jumped into his car.

In the front room, Jessie got to a new position. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Angel run up the stairs, looking for a higher vantage point. The bricks near Bobby were starting to shatter. Outside, Jack lay in the snow, bleeding and shaking. Jessie looked out the window saw a opportunity and took her shot. The man's head snapped back as the Beretta's bullet took him in the forehead.

She aimed again, pulled the trigger, and nothing. The gun jammed. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed. From the upstairs, Angel took out one other shooter and realized he was out of ammo at the same time Bobby realized he'd used all of the shot in his Mossberg.

"Shit." Bobby tossed the shot gun away and looked out one of the holes in the brick wall. The last gunman was also reloading. Bobby realized he had one opportunity, he grabbed a chunk of brick and leaped out of the doorway. The brick caught the gunman in the head, stunning him just long enough for Bobby to tackle him. They grappled for a moment until Bobby got the upper hand and simply began punching him over and over again.

While Jessie checked to see if Sofi was okay, Angel saw a wounded man struggle to sit and take aim at Bobby. His brother was so focused on the man he was beating that he didn't see it. Angel jumped out of the window and scrambled through the snow. He reached the wounded man just as he was picking up his gun and kicked him in the jaw. But when he turned he saw the van that carried their attackers accelerating towards Bobby. From the house, Jessie saw it, too. The van was going to run him down.

"Bobby!" She screamed his name, but he couldn't hear anything but his own rage.

"Bobby!" Angel ran over and grabbed him. He almost couldn't move his brother off of the prone form. He looked up at the van's grill bearing down on them and nearly shit himself when Jerry's Volvo slammed into it not ten feet away from them. Jessie could see everyone moving so she ran directly to Jack. Bobby got there a moment before she did.

Jack was shaking. He looked so pale.

There was so much blood on the snow.

Bobby knelt down next to his brother as Angel ran over and Jerry stumbled out of the wrecked Volvo. "Jack? Jack, look at me!" cried Bobby. He looked over his shoulder, "We need an ambulance!"

Sofi dialed her cell phone, trying to keep her hands from shaking. She sounded so very far away to everyone, but Jessie heard the words "help," "ambulance," and at least part of the Mercer address.

Jack clutched at Bobby's arms. Blood began to pour out of his mouth. He looked up at Bobby, eyes wild and frightened, clearly in pain. "Jack, please, c'mon man," pleaded Bobby. "Come on, Jackie, you gotta breathe… Don't you die on me you little fairy. Breathe. You've gotta fucking breathe!"

In the distance, an ambulance siren wailed.

A moment later, Jack began to thrash and convulse. His head snapped back on the blood-soaked snow and his muscles spasmed. He clutched reflexively at Bobby's arms, trying to hang onto something, anything. He looked at Bobby one final time before his body relaxed and one final breath passed his lips.

"Jack? JACK?" Bobby wept openly as he held his brother's dead body in his arms. Jessie reached out and put her hand on Bobby's back. Jerry wiped away tears while Angel buried his face in Sofi's shoulder.

The sirens sounded closer.

Suddenly, Bobby jumped up and headed for the van and scooped up a gun from the ground. It was a big one – a Desert Eagle Mark I .357 Magnum, the gun that had first shot Jack. The driver, still pinned by the crash with the Volvo, was conscious and closed his eyes when Bobby pressed the gun to his temple.

"Who sent you?" shouted Bobby. "Was it Victor Sweet?"

"Yea. Yea, it was Sweet."

Bobby lowered the gun and the man – still wearing his ski mask – sighed and dropped his shoulders, grateful for the reprieve. "Thank God," he said.

"Thank God?" Bobby's voice was soaked in fury. "You killed my mother and my little brother, you motherfucker… Thank Victor Sweet."

The gun came up in an instant and he pulled the trigger, blowing the back of the masked man's head all over the seat of the van. The rest, all still huddled around Jack's body, heard every word and each of them knew in their hearts they would have done the exact same thing.

Bobby came back and sank down in the bloody snow. Jessie put her arms around him and didn't say a word. She just held him as the tears came.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Well, this is my version of one of the movie's big scenes. I tried to stay pretty true to the screenplay on this one because I think it is a pretty darn critical scene. Hope it works for you. Let me know what you think._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	11. Chapter 11: Cold Earth

**Chapter 11: Cold Earth**

Seven body bags were lined up in a row on the sidewalk in front of the Mercer house. Jack's body had already been taken by ambulance to the medical examiner's office. Police cars were parked at odd angles up and down the street. Bobby, Angel, Jerry, Jessie and Sofi all sat on the front steps, surrounded by the rubble torn up by the shooting.

"Victor Sweet did this," Bobby said to Green as the interview wrapped up.

"How do you know that?"

"His friend in the body bag over there told me," was Bobby's retort.

"Well, that does me a lot of good," barked Green. "I'll be sure to get a statement from him."

There was a strained silence for a moment and then Bobby asked the question. "Are you going to bury Sweet or are we?"

Green hesitated before he answered. He'd discovered, shortly before the shooting that Fowler had hidden a complaint Evelyn Mercer registered with the police before her death. A complaint that connected a lot of things to Victor Sweet.

"I've got something I've got to take care of first," said Green.

"Like what?" Bobby was tired of the cops not giving a shit.

"Like a dirty cop." Green dropped his voice so none of the other officers would hear him.

"Dirty cop?" asked Angel as he sat up a little straighter.

"It's your buddy Fowler, isn't it?" added Bobby. He hadn't liked Fowler from the second he'd met him.

"Fowler is MY problem. Leave it alone." Green snapped his notebook closed. "I'll keep you posted." He turned and started to walk away.

Bobby called after him. "Hey. Green. You didn't answer my question: are you going to bury Sweet or are we?"

A day later, while the Mercer brothers discussed Jack's funeral arrangements with the mortician, Victor Sweet was home holding court with several of his minions.

"Un-fucking-believable." Sweet shook his head. "I still don't believe it. Six shooters… Seven if you include the driver. One job: Shut Bobby Mercer up. All seven are dead and Mercer is still walking around. He's got nine God-damned lives just like a God-damned cat."

"Well, there's at least one less Mercer," said Tyrell. "And I hear Bobby's pretty broken up about little Jackie getting wasted."

Evan couldn't stay silent. "Don't get cocky, Tyrell. Bobby Mercer is one mean bastard and he's upset right now but the grief's going to go away. Then you're going to see a pissed-off Bobby Mercer. If you thought he was a fucking nightmare now, just wait until you see what's coming."

Victor scowled at Evan. He didn't like what Evan was saying but he knew it was true. Bobby might have been gone from the neighborhood for a long time, but he'd left a long shadow.

"Well, let's hit them again, Victor. I can take care of the job for you." Tyrell was eager to increase his esteem in Victor's eyes.

"No. No hit," said Victor. "There's too much attention on the Mercers right now. I got cops, but I don't got ALL the cops. Too many rumors could bring another hit back to my doorstep. No. We need to come up with another way to handle Bobby."

Later that night, Green confronted Fowler about his duplicity. Disgusted by his partner's craven behavior, Green stormed out into the alley and started to get into his car. Fowler, limping from where Green hit him with a pool cue, came after him. He shouted for his partner and when Green turned, Fowler shot him in the chest. Then he walked over and shot him a second time for good measure before calling the shooting in, claiming that Green had been gunned down by two black youths.

Three days after Green was murdered, two families buried loved ones in Our Lady of Hope cemetery. Hundreds attended Detective Green's funeral, and his loyal partner Fowler, stood right behind Green's wife to comfort her. On the other side of Our Lady, only a handful of people came to Jack Mercer's funeral. His brothers. Jessie and Sofi. His friends from the band and a few friends still in the area.

Bobby, Angel and Jerry all stayed after the priest finished and the mourners left. They stared for a long time at Jack's coffin, which would rest close to Evelyn's, but they left before the grave diggers lowered it into the cold earth.

Later that afternoon, Jessie went back to the cemetery. Jack's coffin had been buried and the temporary marker showed where his headstone would go. She paused and propped up the flowers that had fallen over. "Hey, Jackie," she whispered. "Your brothers miss you so much. We all do." She had brought a small bouquet of flowers and moved from Jack's grave to Evelyn's. She knelt down in the snow and put the flowers on top of Evelyn's grave. She looked at the stone in silence and then sighed.

"Hi Miss Evelyn," she finally said. "I'm so sorry this all happened. To you. To Jack. The boys miss him, and they miss you, too. They miss you so much. And they know that what happened to you wasn't an accident." For a moment she thought of Evelyn lecturing one of the boys about how violence wasn't always the answer. In the memory, all four of the brothers were interchangeable because each one had received that lecture from their mother – repeatedly.

"I know you didn't like it when they were violent, and that you always said that violence wasn't always the answer to every conflict. I'm sorry, Miss Evelyn, but in this case it is. Nothing but violence is going to put a stop to this… I don't know what I would have done if it had been Bobby who answered the door. If all that blood had been Bobby's…" Jessie's voice cracked. She wiped a few tears from her cheeks. "If Jackie can't be here, I'm really glad he's with you now. I know you'll take good care of him, Miss Evelyn. You always did."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading this story. I appreciate you taking the time to read it (and review)._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	12. Chapter 12: Warm Comfort

**Chapter 12: Warm Comfort**

That night, Bobby picked at his dinner but left most of it uneaten. He'd spent the afternoon mired in his guilt and pain. Jack – his little brother – was dead. Victor Sweet had sent gunmen to his house to kill his entire family. If he hadn't pushed on investigating his mother's shooting, Jack would still be alive.

_Maybe I shouldn't have come home,_ Bobby thought. _If I had stayed away, Jackie would still be alive… _But he knew that he couldn't completely buy that. Yes, Jack wouldn't have been shot dead in the street, but Evelyn would still be dead. The only mother he'd ever known would still be dead and the people responsible for her death would still be free.

In the kitchen, Angel and Sofi were talking quietly. He heard Angel say he was going upstairs to lie down for a while. The stairs creaked under Angel's weight. Sofi came in to the dining room where Bobby was still sitting. She'd taken his plate a while ago, but he'd stayed, lost in his thoughts. He glanced as she put a glass down.

"I thought you might want some water."

"Thanks, Sofi."

Sofi followed Angel upstairs, leaving Bobby alone again. Normally light from the street filtered into the house, but with the broken windows boarded up, it seemed especially dark tonight. Not long after the funeral, Bobby, Angel and Jerry had met to talk about what to do. They knew they couldn't go up against Sweet directly. He would eventually just wear the Mercers down. He'd send more and more hoods until all four of the brothers were dead, not just Jack.

Jerry had come up with the idea of taking the rest of Evelyn's insurance money and paying Sweet off. He was a business man and money talked. Bobby was skeptical – They all knew that Sweet would just take the money and kill them anyway. And besides, Bobby still wanted Sweet dead for ordering the hit on Evelyn.

But Jerry's plan had merit, and they'd after a little thought, the brothers came up with a few twists that just might work. It was a long shot, but it just might work.

He heard a laugh from upstairs and suddenly, Bobby felt closed in. He needed some air. The very last thing he wanted to hear was Angel and Sofi getting it on upstairs. Grabbing his coat, he headed for the door. But before he left, he headed part way up the stairs.

"Angel!" he shouted. "Angel, I'm going out!" Normally he would have just gone, but given everything that had happened, it made sense.

Half dressed, Angel appeared at the top of the stairs. "You okay? Where are you going?"

"Just a walk. I need to clear my head."

"You be careful." The brothers looked at each other seriously and Bobby nodded.

"I'm not going far."

Bobby headed out into the cold. If you'd asked him where he was going, Bobby wouldn't have been able to tell you, but he walked like a man on a mission. His mind was elsewhere, but his feet knew exactly where he wanted to go. About ten minutes later he found himself knocking on Jessie's door.

"Bobby? Come in. It's freezing out." She hurried him into the kitchen and took his coat. She tossed it over a spare chair and went to the counter.

"I was just making coffee. Want some?"

"Yea. Black. Thanks, Jessie."

She poured the coffee into a mug and set it down in front of Bobby. While she put milk and sugar in her own, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't remember ever seeing Bobby Mercer look sad and lost, but those were the only two words that described him in that moment. It broke her heart, and it made her decide something she'd been debating for a few days now.

Jessie took a drink of her coffee and walked over to the table. She stood behind Bobby and started to rub his shoulders. He put his head down on the table with a heavy sigh as she worked over the tense, knotted muscles. She leaned in as she rubbed to make sure there was enough pressure. Bobby sighed again, but then he stiffened when he felt Jessie's lips on his neck. His eyes flew open. She kissed him again, and then a third time, making Bobby feel a little light-headed.

He shifted and turned in the chair. Standing up, Bobby pulled Jessie in for a real kiss, something he'd wanted to do since the first moment he saw her on his doorstep. Jessie returned the kiss fiercely and ran her hands up his arms, feeling the contour of his muscles underneath the waffle-weave shirt.

As they kissed again, Bobby's hands dropped down, cupping Jessie's bottom and held her against him. A small giggle escaped her and she tugged his shirt loose from his pants. Bobby tilted his head back as he felt her hands run across his stomach and waist and without thinking, lifted his arms to let her pull his shirt up. He pulled it over his head and tossed it away. It landed haphazardly on the kitchen floor. Jessie's fingers traced the front of the rosary tattoo that dropped from his neck to the center of his chest. She dipped her head and kissed the cross.

"Jessie…" Bobby tangled his fingers in her hair. The blood was pounding in his ears.

"Shhh…" Jessie looked up into Bobby's eyes and kissed him again. Then she tugged at her own shirt and raised her arms. "Take it off."

He pulled her shirt up and over her head and arms and it found a place on the floor near his. She wore a black bra made of a shiny material with lace trimmed straps. More feminine than Bobby might have expected, but that made it even sexier. With a thumb he pushed one strap off her shoulder. He leaned in and kissed Jessie on the shoulder and the neck while she let her head loll back, savoring the feel of his lips on her skin. As his lips reached her own again, she hooked her fingers into the waist of his jeans.

The feel of her fingers playing with the button of his jeans made every muscle in Bobby's body clench. He let out a low moan of desire and ran his fingers up Jessie's body, letting them linger as he caressed the silky fabric of the bra.

Both Jessie and Bobby were breathing hard, driven by a desire they had been pretending didn't exist between them. Bobby wanted nothing more than to feel Jessie's naked body underneath him as he made love with her, to her, in every room of her house. He couldn't help himself, he dropped his hands to her bottom again. He loved all parts of a woman's body, but there was something irresistible about a good handful of ass.

"Jessie… I want… You are… But you've always said…" He wasn't sure he was making sense and he started to push her away slightly.

"I know." Her voice was soft and husky, and she didn't let him put any distance between them. "I told you all those years ago that I wouldn't have sex with you unless I was your girlfriend, your serious girlfriend."

"Now it sure feels like you want it…"

"I do."

"What?" Had he heard her correctly? He looked down and met Jessie's brown eyes. They locked onto his and didn't look away.

"I want you, Bobby. I want you to make love to me, have sex with me, fuck me – I don't care what you call it. But I don't want to wait any more. I _can't_ wait any more." She slid her palms up his chest, shaping them to the contours, lingering in places that made him dizzy.

"Jessie…"

"It could have been you who answered the door, Bobby. It could have been you we buried today, not Jackie. All that blood… it could have been your blood." Tears filled her eyes. "Now I don't want to let another day go by without this. I've waited too many years for it… Wanted you for too many years."

"But we aren't…" He was confounded, struggling with himself. He wanted Jessie so badly it ached.

"I know I'm not your girlfriend, Bobby. And I'm not trying to force you into anything you don't want…" She held his face between her hands and searched his face with her eyes, hoping he could see in her eyes how much she meant what she was saying.

_You have no idea how much I want it, want you…_ he thought as she kissed him again.

"… But what I am doing is trusting you," she whispered in his ear. "I'm not asking you to marry me; I'm not even asking you to be my boyfriend. But I'm trusting you. Trusting that after tonight, you won't just blow out of town and never call me again. I'm trusting that you might stick around, at least for a little while."

Jessie lowered her head and kissed his chest and the touch of her tongue on his skin set Bobby utterly on fire. He picked her up and couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Setting her down on the kitchen table, Bobby used one hand to support himself and the other to support Jessie as he leaned into her, kissing her on the lips, the neck.

"Take me to bed, Bobby," she whispered in his ear.

It was an order he found he could not disobey.

Jessie's bedroom was a distinct contrast to the rest of the house – it was messy. A pile of laundry spilled out of the hamper and the bed hadn't been made. She sat on the edge of the bed and turned on a battery-powered candle. The flickering light illuminated the room just enough to see, but still left a romantic, seductive tone.

As she kicked off her pants, she started to laugh. "Sorry for the mess. This is my dirty little secret. No one ever sees this room, so I don't clean it as often…" Her voice trailed away as she looked up at Bobby. Naked to the waist, his jeans hung low on his hips. He was… remarkable, and he was staring at her, desire bright in his eyes.

"What are you looking at?"

He smiled. "You are so beautiful… and you got to inspect my ink. Time for me to check out yours." She leaned back on the bed, dressed only in her bra and panties, and Bobby's eyes roved over her as he got closer. Along with the sun on her left arm, Jessie had two on her right arm. One was a Celtic knot band that circled her bicep. Above that was a skull wearing an Army Ranger beret. There were two swords behind the skull, above it were the words "US Army Rangers," and below it the words, "Invincible."

Leaning down, Bobby kissed her and then said, "Now let's see the dragon. Angel said you flashed it that day with Fowler…"

Jessie started to turn but then stopped. "It isn't anything special…" She laughed and reached to kiss him again, but Bobby caught her around the waist and flipped her on the mattress.

"What about this dragon don't you want me to see?" There was laughter in his voice.

"No, the dragon's not… but… Bobby… stop…" Jessie squirmed but it was easy to see the dragon. Not low enough to really be considered a tramp-stamp, it was a black dragon done in a tribal motif. Bobby thought it was actually a pretty sweet rendition. Then a little more color caught Bobby's eye. Jessie had one more tattoo. This one was on the back of her right shoulder.

This one made him stop and as he froze, so did Jessie. It was a heart and inside the heart was the number 24 done in black with a white outline - his number when he played with the Michigan Wings. A scroll started above the heart, wrapped behind it, and unfurled below it. In the upper section of the scroll were the initials "BM." In the lower part, the word "Forever."

_BM Forever…_

With his arm around her waist, Bobby pulled Jessie back towards him and she closed her eyes as she felt the skin of his chest against her back. He didn't say anything, and the silence scared Jessie a little. In the heat of the moment, she'd forgotten about the heart tattoo; this wasn't how she wanted Bobby to find out she had it. He didn't say a word. Instead, Bobby kissed the heart tattoo, a slow lingering kiss, and Jessie let her breath out slowly.

"Turn around," he said quietly. "And kiss me." Jessie didn't need to be asked twice; she turned and knelt on the bed, threading her fingers into Bobby's hair as he unbuttoned his jeans. Moving forward, he let his weight slowly press Jessie down onto the mattress as their bodies tangled together.

Much later, Bobby lay in bed, thinking. He and Jessie had made love twice before falling asleep and now he replayed all of the details in his head. The feel of her skin, the taste of her kiss, that singular moment when they came together, the way she arched beneath his touch and the soft, husky sound she made when he'd completely satisfied her. Just thinking about it made him want her again. He almost couldn't resist the temptation to wake her.

Instead, he got out of bed softly, trying not to wake her, and went into the bathroom. He cupped some water from the faucet in his hand and had a quick drink. Then looked at himself in the mirror, at the sated grin on his face, and just shook his head. Flicking off the light, he went back into Jessie's bedroom and stood for a moment. Should he stay? Go? They hadn't really talked about that. Any other time, he probably would have just gathered his clothes and slipped away.

But he could see Jessie sleeping, illuminated in the soft silver moonlight that poured through the window, and he knew he was staying. She shifted slightly as he climbed back into bed and rolled on her side, her hair falling away, revealing the 24 heart tattoo. He slid under the covers and Jessie stirred.

"Bobby?"

"Shhhh," he whispered. "Go back to sleep; I'm right here." He gently kissed the heart tattoo again.

_BM Forever…_

Bobby put his head down on the pillow. _I think I've always loved you, too, Jess. I just haven't been ready to say it. _He still wasn't quite ready to say it out loud, not yet, but in his head, it felt right.

Holding Jessie in his arms, Bobby Mercer fell into the first peaceful sleep he'd known in a very long time.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Okay, so, what did you think? Any of you reading this who have read my other stories know that I am very self-critical when it comes to my ability to write any kind of steamy love/sex scene. I'm actually fairly happy with this one but I would really like to know what you all - as readers – think of it. _

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	13. Chapter 13: Dangerous Game

**Chapter 13: Dangerous Game**

For a split second, Bobby couldn't remember where he was; he just knew it wasn't his own house. Then he couldn't help but smile as he remembered how he and Jessie had spent the previous night. It had been worth the wait, absolutely worth the wait, and if he had anything to say about it, it was the first of many nights like that. His reverie was rudely interrupted by the telephone.

_What ass is calling at 7:30 in the morning? _he wondered.

Jessie groaned and reached for the phone on the night stand. As she lay back in the bed, she smiled at Bobby before she clicked the cordless on. "Hello?" Her voice was thick, sleepy and then she sat up a little more.

"Hi, Angel. You're looking for Bobby?" She glanced at Bobby, unsure how he'd want her to answer the question. He grinned while he gestured for the phone. She handed it to him. Bobby lay back in the bed, covered barely to the waist by the blankets, and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Ange," he said.

On the other end of the phone, Angel sounded pissed. "You scared the shit out of me and Sofi! Went looking for you this morning and didn't know where the fuck you were. I thought Sweet had dumped you in the river."

"Sorry, man." Bobby was sincerely sorry that he'd scared Angel. "I ended up coming here to see Jessie."

"And you finally hit that," Angel said. "As opposed to the lie we told Fowler."

Bobby chuckled. "Yea. Yea, I did."

"Well, drag your ass away from your new honey and get home. Jerry's coming over and we need to talk before he goes to Evan."

"I'll be there."

"Give me the phone," said Jessie. She really didn't wait for Bobby to comply but pulled the phone out of his hand.

"Angel?"

"Hey, Jessie…"

"I want you, Sofi and Bobby to all come over for dinner tonight. No arguments." While she talked to Angel she looked at Bobby. He nodded in agreement. Dinner there was just fine with him.

"That'd be good," said Angel. "Now kick my brother out of your bed and send him home."

"How do you know he's in my bed?" Jessie's question was coy.

Angel tried to not snort as he laughed. "Yea, whatever."

He hung up and Jessie tossed the phone back on the night stand. Bobby reached over and caught hold of her. Pulling her into his arms, he gave Jessie a long, lingering kiss. "Good morning," he said.

"Mmmmm. It is a good morning."

Bobby kissed her again; he did not want to get out of Jessie's warm bed, but Angel was right. They needed to get their plan for Sweet rolling.

"I've got to go…" his voice trailed away.

"I know. It's okay, Bobby," said Jessie.

"I'll be back…" As he spoke, Jessie leaned and pushed Bobby back on the bed, cutting his words off with a kiss. Bobby wrapped her up in his arms and rolled until he felt Jessie's legs slide along his. He looked down at her, with her tousled hair spread over the pillow, and knew there was no way in hell he was leaving yet. Angel and Jerry could wait for a little bit.

By the time he got back home, Jerry was waiting and Bobby endured a ration and a half of grief from his brothers. Then they got serious. They needed to get their plan to Victor and the best way to do that was through Evan. Jerry and Evan had worked together – even been friends – during Jerry's time with the union, and they knew Evan was their best shot. But they all couldn't go; it had to be Jerry.

"Jessie's feedin' us tonight," added Angel. "If we're not here, you can find us there."

"Okay," Jerry said. "I'll let you know what Evan says. And as soon as I find out if Victor has gone for the plan, I'll call you." Jerry hugged both of his brothers. This was a dangerous, dangerous game they were playing. And if they didn't win, they'd lose everything.

"Be safe," said Bobby.

Bobby and Angel spent the rest of the day starting to repair their mother's house. There was still debris to clean up and bullet holes in the walls needed to be patched before they got painted. Bobby collected all of the photos with broken frames and glasses and put them in a box where they'd be safe until they could get reframed and hung again.

Elsewhere in the city, Evan nearly pissed himself when he saw Jerry Mercer on his doorstep. "What are you doing here, Jerry?" Evan looked around nervously – there was no telling what Sweet would do if he – or one of his other thugs – happened to see a Mercer at his house.

"I want to offer Victor a deal. Pay him to leave me and my brothers alone."

Evan shook his head. "Jerry, Victor is out for blood. I don't think there's anything you can give him that would call him off. Can't be done."

"That's what they said when we were in the union," Jerry pointed out. "And we ended up getting thirty dollars an hour. Remember?"

"How much are you talking about?"

"Four hundred thousand – and there's a way you can get a piece of it," said Jerry.

Evan looked at him suspiciously. "Get your ass in here." He grabbed Jerry by the coat and yanked him into the house. Evan brought him to the basement where he had a little man cave created with a sofa, a TV, and a nice poker table. Charlie leaned back in his chair as they came down the stairs. He gave Evan an odd look.

"Old Jerry here has a proposition he wants to send to Victor. I think we should hear him out," said Evan.

Charlie shrugged. "Start talking," he said. A half-hour later, Jerry wrapped up the entire proposition. The three men sat in silence for a minute, and then Charlie and Evan conferred in the corner of the room.

"Victor's out of town – he'll probably be back tomorrow," said Evan. "Got some business he's takin' care of, but I'll bring your… generous… offer to him. I'll call you when I find out what he thinks."

"Thanks, Evan."

"No promises, Jerry. No promises."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Don't really have many notes or comments on this chapter. Just hope you're still enjoying the story. As always, thank you for your reviews – if you like the story, please feel free to elaborate on what parts you think are good (the description, the dialogue?) and if there's stuff you don't like, let me know that, too. Any concrete feedback I can get from you will help future chapters and stories better._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	14. Chapter 14: Cat Fight

**Chapter 14: Cat Fight**

Jerry called his brothers shortly before they left for dinner at Jessie's. Now, it was just a waiting game and they had to hope that Victor didn't make another move before he got wind of the proposal. They wouldn't survive another attack like the one that killed Jack.

Jessie had spent the afternoon scrubbing the house. It was something her mother had drummed into her: your house was always clean, but it was pristine if there was company coming. She looked at the living room after she dusted. It was looking pretty respectable. With the new paint and curtains, the room looked warm and inviting, and she'd just managed to finish the trim around the opening that looked into the kitchen.

Of course, there was still her bedroom, which her mother would be mortified to see. But Jessie was the only one who usually saw it – and clearly the mess hadn't offended Bobby – so she just shut the door and pretended it was as neat as the rest of the house. Finally, she put the roast beef in to cook and indulged in a steaming-hot, luxurious shower.

It was almost time for dinner and Jessie was putting some new logs on the fire when she heard raised voices outside of her house. She hurried to the door and out onto the porch. Milling around on her tiny front lawn and sidewalk were a group of people. Bobby, Angel and Sofi were together – and the Mercer boys were clearly on edge – and yelling at them was Missy. She had her own entourage with her: her friends Anna and Liz, her brother Paulie "Big Paul" D'Antonio, and one of Paul's friends. Dom something, but Jessie wasn't sure what his name was.

"What the hell's going on out here?" she shouted as she headed down her cement walkway.

"Is this her? Is this the cunt you were talking about, Missy?" asked Big Paul.

Bobby was livid. "Watch your fucking mouth. Nobody talks about my girl like that."

"Your girl?" shrieked Missy. "What the fuck Bobby? Since when is that bitch your girl? I'm your girl. I AM. We're gonna be together again and it will be just the way it was before. I'm not going to let her screw this up for me!"

Bobby didn't even look at Missy. "Get her out of here, Paulie. Or am I gonna have to take care of this?"

Jessie put her hands on Bobby's chest to back him off. "Don't worry. Nothing I can't handle, baby."

"You sure? He was glaring at both Missy and her brother.

"Yea. This crazy bitch isn't going to stop until I take care of this." Jessie turned and folded her arms. She stared at Missy for a long time.

"You can't have him," Missy hissed.

"Can't have him? Like you own him? Like you've got some kind of dog collar on him? Missy, do you even realize how stupid you sound?" Jessie shook her head; this was beyond ridiculous.

"I am not stupid! I am going to kick your ass, Jessie. How dare you get between me and my man?"

Bobby was about to say something, tell Missy that she was out of her mind if she thought he was ever going to get back with her. But he forced himself to keep his mouth shut; Jessie wanted to handle this.

"Your man? YOUR man? Oh, for Christ's sake," sighed Jessie. "You are one crazy bitch, Missy. I'll give you that."

"Fuck you," said Missy. "You knew I wanted him; you just went after Bobby to keep him away from me."

"I did all of that to mess with you? Just to screw up your chances with Bobby? Seriously, Missy – you're not worth that much effort. But fine, we may as well get this over with," said Jessie.

Missy snapped. "Good. I thought you were going to be a chicken shit and run. I'll claw your eyes out, bitch."

The others backed up, forming a rough circle. Big Paul looked smug. He'd seen his sister fight before. Bobby's face was stone; Missy was a dirty fighter but he thought Jessie could hold her own. He was more worried about what extra help Big Paul might give his sister. If that happened, it was going to turn into an all-out brawl.

If Missy wanted a fight, Jessie was going to give it to her, so she started to antagonize Missy. "You do realize that you're not going to be his girlfriend even if you win? That you'll never be more than a cheap piece of ass for some loser that you find in a bar? Someone too lazy to go out and hire a real hooker…"

"You bitch!" Missy rushed at her, which is exactly what Jessie wanted.

Rather than back up, Jessie grabbed Missy's arms and pulled her forward, using Missy's momentum against her. Jessie brought her knee up and in, catching Missy squarely in the middle. The air rushed out of Missy and she doubled over, only to be sent careening backward when Jessie brought her knee up again, this time slamming it into Missy's chin.

"Holy shit," said Sofi as she watched Jessie stalk towards her adversary.

"You're makin' me hot, baby!" shouted Bobby.

For good measure and to prove a point, Jessie walked over to where Missy lay on the ground and kicked her – hard – in the ribs. Missy shrieked in pain as the force of the blow skidded her across the cement. Then lay on the sidewalk, writhing and sobbing, covering her face with her hands. Grabbing her, Jessie hauled Missy up, but Missy looked so shocked and pitiful that Jessie dropped her and let her crumple back down to the ground.

"Damn. She's not screwing around." Angel almost – almost – felt sorry for Missy.

Jessie walked back over to stand near Bobby. She looked at Missy, disgusted. "Are we done here?"

"No, we're not." Big Paul stepped forward. "You didn't have to fuck her up like that. Say those things."

"Didn't have to…? She picks the fight and then can't handle getting her ass whipped? You have to fight for her, Paulie?" Jessie snorted.

"Nobody hits my sister… or calls her a slut."

"But she is a slut!" shouted Sofi. _"Mujerzuela!"_

Paul took a menacing step forward, but before Bobby could react, Jessie reached behind him and pulled his gun out from where it was tucked into the back of his waistband and hidden by his jacket. It was a big-ass gun – a Colt MK IV Series 70 to be exact – but there was no shake in her hand, no hesitation, as she pointed it squarely at Big Paul.

"Feel like finding out if I shoot as good as I fight?"

Jessie smiled as Big Paul blanched, put his hands up, and took a step back. A street fight was one thing; getting shot was entirely different. And it was clear that Angel was also armed. This was a fight Paul knew he'd lose, and lose badly. He glanced at his sister and then back at the gun.

"No problem here," he said. _At least not right now…_

By this time, Missy had picked herself up off the ground and was huddled between Anna and Liz. She looked at Jessie with wide eyes that got wider when she found the muzzle of the gun pointed at her. Jessie took a few steps forward.

"Do you think we can live in the same town without any more disagreements?" asked Jessie in a deceptively sweet voice. Missy nodded. She was shaking.

Jessie lowered the gun slowly, still keeping an eye on Paul. She stepped backwards until she felt Bobby's arm around her. He pulled Jessie in close and kissed her, deliberately making sure Missy and Paul both saw it.

"I didn't realize my girlfriend was such a bad-ass." There was a smug pride in his voice.

_Girlfriend. _Jessie smiled. "Come on in and get warm," she said to her friends. Angel and Sofi headed towards her house. Bobby lingered so she wasn't too far from him – or too close to Big Paul. Jessie looked at Paul and his entourage. "And the rest of you? Get the hell off my lawn."

"Paulie," whined Missy as Bobby and Jessie disappeared into the house. "Are you going to let her do that to me?"

"Shut up and get in the fucking car, Missy." _But if Bobby Mercer has a girlfriend, that's another way to get to him. Tyrell will be very interested in hearing about this. _

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Thanks for reading… I hope you're still enjoying my AU version of Four Brothers._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	15. Chapter 15: Fury

**Chapter 15: Fury**

Victor held up the short fur coat he'd bought on his trip. "What do you think? I will be out on the town looking fine in this." He nodded, fully confident in his own fashion wisdom. Tyrell and the others who were gathered there all agreed, sycophants to the last, although Evan and Charlie merely nodded. Personally, Evan thought the jacket would make Victor look like a cheap pimp, but he wasn't going to say it.

Big Paul was shown into the room during the conversation and stayed quiet to start. Interrupting was never a wise idea. Finally, Tyrell looked his way and Big Paul caught his eye. He gave a small jerk of his head to see if Tyrell would come out in the hall to talk to him. With a not, Tyrell dismissed him and turned to Victor.

"Excuse me a second, Victor. I have to take care of something…"

"That's okay; I know you're just going to sample that sweet ass I had on the plane ride home. I told her you'd be by, you dog." Victor laughed; he was in a good mood tonight. Tyrell patted his pocket. Victor had given him a piece of paper where tonight's hottie would be waiting for him. Being Victor's favorite certainly had perks.

When Tyrell left, Evan decided the time was right. "Victor, I had an unusual visit while you were gone," he said. "Jerry Mercer."

"Fuck me," said Victor. "He's got some stones."

Evan went on to describe Jerry's visit and the proposal he'd brought. Victor sat, with is fingers steepled in front of him, listening and thinking. That was a lot of money, but Jerry couldn't seriously think he was going to leave any of the Mercer boys still breathing?

"Very interesting," said Victor. "I'm going to sleep on that one tonight. Now, let's play cards…"

A few blocks away from Victor's house, Tyrell and Big Paul sat in Tyrell's car, a slightly older model Cadillac that Tyrell had custom painted a dark cherry red color.

"I think I have another way for you to get to Bobby Mercer," said Big Paul.

"I'm listening…"

"I was out with my sister, we were going to scare this chick she's been having trouble with and we ran into Bobby and Angel Mercer there. Turns out, Bobby's calling this girl his girlfriend. Seems real cozy with her. Got all jacked up when I called her a few different names."

A smile curled the corner of Tyrell's mouth. "And you can make a man crazy if you mess with his woman. Crazy enough to do something stupid… Who is this bitch, Paulie?"

"Her name is Jessie St. James," answered Big Paul. "And… no offence meant, Tyrell… but bring some muscle if you're going to see her. She knows how to handle a gun and she whipped my sister's ass. She ain't no girly-girl."

"Good to know. Where does she live?" Tyrell already had something in mind.

"I can show you," said Big Paul.

"Good… go get Mike, Duff, and LaShawn. And get Louie the Pick; I want someone who can open a door without busting it down. Tell them we need to take care of something. I'll pick you up at the Vesuvius Restaurant in a half hour."

Jessie was whistling when she got home. She parked her car in back and came in through the kitchen door. She locked it behind her and threw her grocery bag on the counter. In the sink were some leftover plates from dinner the night before that she hadn't gotten around to cleaning yet. She ran the water until it was hot and then put the stopper in the drain. Sudsy water started to fill the sink. She turned the water off so the dishes could soak and then dried her hands.

She was about to turn away from the sink when she was grabbed from behind. Jessie started to scream but a hand clamped over her mouth. She thrashed and scratched with her free arm and brought her heel down hard, stomping on her assailant's foot. He cried out and cursed and loosened his grip slightly. Jessie thrashed and kicked, trying harder, trying to get away from her attacker until a second set of hands grabbed at her and she felt the barrel of a gun in her lower back. She stopped struggling but didn't relax. The assailants forced her into the hallway and pinned her up against the wall.

"What do you want?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Ask the boss," one of them said as three more figures appeared in the hall. Jessie recognized Tyrell Marcus and Big Paul. She glared at the two but remained still. Even if she managed to get away from these two, she couldn't move fast enough to escape the other three. Paul and the other stranger both had guns out and she knew Tyrell always carried a weapon.

"So, you're Bobby Mercer's girl. Must be quite a hellcat to be with someone like him." Tyrell was looking around her house. He looked into the bedroom and came back with a grin. "You fuck him in there?"

Jessie narrowed here eyes and remained silent.

"Ooo, if looks could kill," Tyrell laughed. He came up close to Jessie. Tyrell's breath was overly sweet and Jessie tried to turn her head away. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look back; she thrashed and struggled for a moment, making her captors laugh. They tightened their grips and she subsided.

"I bet you're a good fuck, aren't you? Does he let you ride him, or does he just flip you over and take you like a bitch?" Tyrell grabbed one of Jessie's breasts and squeezed it. He crushed up against her and Jessie felt cold, threads of fear finally creeping in. _He's going to rape me…_ She tried to slow her breathing, keep control of her emotions. Panic would just egg him on.

"You'd like that wouldn't you? A real man mounting you… Getting some hard dick in you right here." He cupped his hand and wedged it between her thighs. Jessie nearly gagged when he touched her and thanked God that she still had her jeans on.

"Get your hands off me, you bastard," she snarled.

Tyrell slapped her with his free hand and grabbed harder with the other. "Shut up. I'll put my hands wherever I want." He pressed his whole body up against her again and ground his hips against hers, thrusting in a grotesque parody of what would normally be a beautiful motion. He licked her neck and her cheek. Jessie tried to kick at him, but he tangled her legs up.

"That's right, fight. I like my bitches feisty. And you're going to be my bitch soon. Not today, but someday soon. I'm coming back here, and next time we won't have all this foreplay; we'll get right down to business. I'll fuck you when I want and how I want, and there's nothing Bobby can do about it. I'm the alpha dog and only the alpha gets it on with the bitch. And you can tell him I said so."

He nodded quickly and the other two dropped her arms. Jessie nearly fell because they'd been holding her practically off her feet. She staggered and Tyrell grabbed her shoulders. He flung her down on the floor as hard as he could, and then Tyrell grabbed her hair and pulled it hard.

"Can't wait for next time. And don't bother calling the police – we own them." He let go and gestured to his crew; they left as quickly as they'd come.

Jessie got up and scrambled into the bedroom. She grabbed the small gun she kept in her nightstand and headed back into the house, almost hoping that one of those shits was still there. The house was empty. She locked the doors and checked all the windows before she curled up on the sofa in front of the fire. It took an hour for her to stop shaking.

Part of her wanted to grab the phone and call Bobby, tell him what Tyrell had done. She knew Bobby would rip his heart right out of his chest. But that was what Tyrell wanted. He was trying to use Jessie to get to Bobby and there was no way she was going to let that happen.

Jessie was going to have to deal with this herself.

The fear began to subside.

And her fury grew.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hello everyone. Thanks for reading and reviewing… I seem to have picked up a few more readers over the past several days, so welcome. I hope you continue to enjoy my story. As always, I'd love to get any feedback you have so I know what's working and what needs to be worked on. Thanks so much!_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	16. Chapter 16: A Plan in Motion

**Chapter 16: A Plan in Motion**

Bobby had an extra coat on. They needed to get the windows fixed. It was way too cold in the house. It wasn't bad enough for the pipes to freeze but next month's heating bill was going to suck. While they waited for Jerry, he and Angel talked about what to fix first. They were going to have to repair all the bricks and windows on the porch, the windows in all the rooms on the front of the house, and there was going to be plenty of mudding and painting to get the living room back in order.

They heard Jerry pull into the parking lot. He was driving a loaner car while his SUV got fixed. "I just talked to Evan. The meeting with Victor is on," he told his brothers.

Bobby let out a small sigh. That step was taken care of. "Good. When does he want to meet?"

"Today at 4:00."

Bobby's jaw dropped. "What? That's in two hours, Jerry! That doesn't give us enough time."

"And there's a problem," said Jerry.

"Gee, you think?"

Jerry chose to ignore Bobby's sarcasm. "Evan says that he doesn't think Sweet will go for it if Fowler or Tyrell are there."

"Then we've got no plan!" Bobby threw his hands up in frustration. Everything was going directly to Hell.

"Relax, Bobby. We have a plan, and it will work. We just need to take Fowler and Tyrell out of the picture," said Angel.

"We can't kill a cop!" Jerry was horrified. Even if Fowler was dirty, he was a cop and they did anything to him, it would bring the wrath of the whole police force down on them. They'd be more screwed than they were with Victor.

"He handed Ma to Sweet," shouted Bobby. "He ain't walking away from this!"

"I can take care of Fowler," said Angel. "Trust me. I've got that plan."

From the kitchen, the three men heard the door open. They tensed for a moment until he heard Jessie call his name. She came into the living room with a duffle bag and nodded to everyone. Bobby turned back to Angel and Jerry to finish the conversation.

"What about Tyrell? We don't have time for another plan. We're nearly out of time as it is…" Bobby's voice trailed away as Jessie pulled a bolt-action rifle out of her bag. She wasn't looking at them; she was checking the scope on the rifle.

"Leave Tyrell to me." It was the same cold voice they remembered from the day Jessie had patched up Bobby's dog bites.

"Jessie?" Bobby knew something was wrong. He could hear it in her voice, read it in her body.

"I have some business I need to finish with Tyrell…" The unfinished thought hung between them as she continued to examine the rifle, not looking at the brothers. It wasn't military grade, but definitely something a SWAT team might carry. Finally, she said, "He came to… visit me… at the house yesterday."

"What?" Bobby's temper came up. "He came to your house? What happened? Did he put his hands on you?" Tyrell had a reputation nearly as bad as Victor's and Bobby knew nothing good could have happened during that visit. He started to breathe harder. That Jessie wouldn't meet his eyes told Bobby everything he needed to know. Angel and Jerry reached the same conclusion Bobby did in the same instant.

Jerry was the one who tried to ask the question. "Jessie, did he…" He found he couldn't bring himself to say the word 'rape,' as if by not saying it, it wasn't really a possibility.

"I'll kill that motherfu…" Before Bobby could finish, the distinctive sound of the rifle's bolt-action being checked silenced him.

Jessie finally looked up at them. "Listen to me very carefully. All three of you. I will take care of Tyrell. Me." There was no emotion in her voice, simply cold logic. She put the rifle into the bag and slung it over her shoulder. "You take care of what you need to do, and I'll catch up with you before you meet Sweet. I promise you that Tyrell will not be an issue."

"Jessie?" The worry in Bobby's voice overcame – for a moment – his anger, and Jessie was touched.

"I'm okay, Bobby. He didn't do… that…" Jessie found she didn't want to actually say the word either.

Bobby relaxed slightly.

"… but he did put his hands on me. And I have a big problem with that. A BIG problem."

She didn't say anything else; Jessie just walked to the kitchen and out the Mercers' back door.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hello! I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying the heightened drama of the past few chapters. This chapter is a little shorter since it transitions into the section of the movie where several things are going on at once. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	17. Chapter 17: Debts Settled

**Chapter 17: Debts Settled**

The doorbell rang and Fowler stared suspiciously. He wasn't expecting anyone. In fact, he had to leave soon to meet Victor Sweet and finish a little more of this damn Mercer business. He pulled his gun and kept it hidden behind his hip. Cracking open the door, he glanced out, looking side to side, but the only person on the step was a rotund pre-teen boy with red hair and a box of Baby Ruths. The young man said something about raising money for his baseball team but Fowler wasn't listening. He grunted, grabbed a Baby Ruth, and slammed the door without even paying.

But before he could enjoy his stolen candy, a clear plastic bag dropped over his head and a belt tightened it around his throat. In a panic, Fowler dropped his gun as he clawed at the bag. A kick to the back of the knee sent Fowler to the floor. Angel picked up Fowler's gun and walked in front of him. He pointed the gun at the struggling man and watched him. As Fowler clawed, Angel called Bobby and Jerry so they'd know Fowler was out of the equation and that it was safe – relatively speaking – for Jerry to head out for the meeting.

"You're really starting to run out of air, aren't you?" asked Angel. "You know you'll never get the belt off in time, right?"

There was something about Angel's words, the way he emphasized the word "belt" that pierced through Fowler's panicked haze. Suddenly, he stopped with the belt and started ripping at the plastic itself. A moment later it tore and he gasped, pulling in as much oxygen as he could into his starved and burning lungs.

"There you go," said Angel. "People never think to tear at the plastic. They always go for the belt. Now get in the chair," he ordered. Angel had the gun so Fowler complied. As they stared each other down, Angel was sorely tempted to just pull the trigger. Then, in the distance, the sound of a siren. Then another. And they got closer.

Fowler smiled. "Those are my boys, Angel. They're coming for me. And you're going down."

_Sofi did it!_ Angel thought. "I'm going down? You're the crooked cop, Fowler. Shit, you murdered your own partner after he found out that Victor Sweet's got you in his pocket. That's just cold. You're the one going down, not me."

Fowler laughed derisively. "Are you fucking kidding? Yea, I did kill my partner. So what? I could kill the entire Detroit police force and I'd get away with it if you were the only witness. You're a fucking Mercer. No one is EVER going to believe what you say."

Angel smiled. "No one but the cops I've got in the van outside." Angel turned his jacket edge out to show Fowler the wire he was wearing.

"Did you get all that Captain?" he asked into the microphone. "I'm going to bring him out now…" He gestured to Fowler with the gun, indicating that Fowler should head out the door, but just as they got there, Angel looked away. Fowler didn't waste the opportunity. He grabbed Angel's arm, twisting it hard, and taking the gun away from Angel. With Angel now in his control, Fowler glanced through the curtain. There were several vans outside as well as a half dozen police cars. Behind the cars were a number of cops, all with weapons drawn, including several SWAT members with their scoped rifles.

God damn it, I'm screwed. Fowler leaned towards the wire Angel was wearing. "You sons of bitches aren't going to get me. I'm going to take your boy here with me!" Fowler pushed the door open and shoved Angel out in front of him. A huge part of the Detroit police – including SWAT – was outside of Fowler's house. Sofi had told them that her boyfriend was threatening to kill a cop. So, when Angel and Fowler came out of the house, the SWAT team was utterly confused to see Fowler with the gun, forcing Angel in front of him as a human shield.

"What the hell?" said one cop. "I thought Fowler was the hostage…?"

"Put the gun down, Fowler," another shouted. "We're here to help."

"No fucking way," screamed Fowler. Angel kept his arms outstretched, clearly showing he was unarmed. "I'm not going down for this. Not for Green!" He squeezed off one warning shot and struck one of the police cars.

Angel took advantage of the distraction. He elbowed Fowler hard and scrambled away, still keeping his hands out and clear. He didn't want any of these cops thinking he was going for a hidden weapon. Fowler hesitated for a split second and then took aim at Angel. But he never got the chance to shoot. One of the SWAT members fired, his bullet taking Fowler in the heart. The corrupt cop fell backwards into the snow on his front lawn. He let his gun slip out of his hand and looked at the blood streaming out of his chest. He had time to look up and see Angel Mercer squatting down next to him, staring at him while he bled out and died.

In another part of the city, Tyrell was strolling out of his condo's front lobby entrance. His relationship with Sweet had allowed him to purchase a great condo on one of the upper floors, with a great view of the city. He was feeling good. And he was on his way to see Jerry Mercer get what was coming to him. It was going to be a good day.

As he stepped onto the sidewalk, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket with a flourish as he gave a passing woman a rather repulsive leer, and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Tyrell." Jessie made her voice sound smoky, sultry.

"Well, hello," he said, a big smile spreading over his face at the sound of her breathy voice. "What sweet honey is this?"

Several hundred yards away, Jessie had her rifle supported by a bi-pod and she was staring through the scope at Tyrell while he talked on the phone. The burn phone she'd bought at a store – with cash – was on speaker on the ground right in front of her.

"Oh, you know my name," she purred. "You just made such an impression on me when we met, that I couldn't stay away…" She shifted the aim of the rifle slightly, dropping it to just below his belt buckle. The temptation to blow his junk off was extraordinarily tempting, but it was entirely possible that he'd survive that shot. She brought the crosshairs back up the center of Tyrell's chest.

"So when did I meet you?" Tyrell was curious.

"Yesterday… You stopped by my house…"

"Ah," Tyrell started to smile until he remembered that the woman he'd screwed thanks to Victor had been in a hotel. He'd only been in one other woman's house. He froze – he was talking to Bobby Mercer's girl.

"Who's the bitch now?" was the last thing he heard.

The bullet took him square in the chest, tearing up his lung and heart, and knocking him back several feet before he landed on the sidewalk in front of his building. People on the street screamed and started to run as blood pooled underneath Tyrell. His eyes stared up, glassy and vacant. Jessie pulled down her rifle and put it in her duffle bag. She grabbed the shell casing and the burn phone and headed for the stairs. She was in her car and headed in the opposite direction before the police even arrived on the scene.

Out on the frozen ice of the Detroit River, Jerry Mercer was feeling very alone. He was waiting, surrounded by Victor's lackeys, for Victor to arrive. Hoping that Victor would arrive and that he wasn't simply going to be shot and dumped into the big hole in the ice that Big Paul had just finished carving with a chain saw.

As he pulled up in his chauffeured Cadillac SUV, Victor shook his head when he laid eyes on Jerry. "The fool showed up," he muttered. "I can't believe the fool showed up."

He got out of the car, wrapped in his new fur coat and swaggered up to Jerry. He gave Jerry an arrogant look and grabbed the big duffle bag. Victor knelt down to unzip it. Inside were bundles and bundles of money. Victor picked one up and threw it back in. He picked up a second one and fanned the bills. He smiled and looked up at Jerry.

"Goddamn, I like the way you do business! You're a reasonable man."

"So can we just get down to business?" asked Jerry formally.

"Business? Yes, let's get down to business. Now what were the terms of our agreement again? Four hundred grand and I pardon you and your brothers. Forgive and forget, right?"

"I just buried my Momma and my brother. I think that's payment enough," Jerry told him.

"Hmm." Victor gave Jerry a sly look. "We'll see about that."

"My brothers told me I was crazy. That I'd come out here, you'd just shoot me and take the money. But my Momma raised me to be a thinkin' man," said Jerry. "So, me and my brothers, we came up with a whole new proposal. Instead of giving you the four hundred grand, we decided we'd give it to these mistreated workers you got standing behind you." As Jerry was talking, a few of Victor's men moved around the circle to stand behind Victor, leaving Jerry all by himself on the ice.

"You are so full of shit, Jerry," Victor mocked. "Evan. Pistol."

When no pistol was handed to him immediately, Victor looked over his shoulder, pissed that his order hadn't been immediately obeyed. The flat look on Evan's face gave him pause. Was Mercer serious? Did he really think all of his men would turn against him?

"Pistol," he repeated.

"No," said Evan. "You forget, _Vic_, I was in the union before. I ain't never missed a meeting."

Victor was furious. He glared at the men surrounding him. "What the fuck are you doing? Biting the hand that feeds you? If I'm gone, where do you think all the money will come from? Hmm? Yea, go ahead. Kill me. Anything happens to me you all go down for murder. Fowler knows about this meeting, hell, he's probably on his way here right now."

Jerry shook his head. "Naw. He ain't coming." There was such matter-of-fact confidence in Jerry's voice that it took Victor by surprise, but he tried not to show it. He glared at Jerry.

"Fowler's an idiot. Tyrell won't stand for this. You're out here stabbing me in the back and cutting him out. Maybe you will kill me but he'll come after you."

Jerry shook his head again. "I don't think Tyrell is going to help you either. You see, he got his own problems. He put his hands on the wrong woman and she's pretty pissed off."

To the side, Big Paul felt a little sick. He knew exactly what woman Jerry was referring to. _Oh shit. She didn't go running to Bobby._ All he could picture in his head was Jessie's face from that night on the street when she settled up with Missy. _She's going to take care of business herself._

Victor wasn't done with his bluster, not ready to give in to the fate he saw coming. "Who's the man here? Who is gonna be the MAN." Victor looked at all of his cronies. "Which of you tough guys is gonna do it? Who's going to take on the champ? You Charlie? You got the stones for it?"

"If you'd messed with my Andrea, yea, I would have," said Charlie. "But you didn't. So someone else got dibs on you."

"This is over some bitch…?" Victor was stunned. But then, over Charlie's shoulder, he could see two figures walking towards them. The one in the lead wore jeans and a long leather coat. The one behind was dressed in mostly whites and greys and was harder to distinguish against the expanse of ice.

Jerry smiled. "He's coming for you, Victor…"

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Real life got in the way there for a little bit. Hope it was worth the wait. Please let me know what you think._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	18. Chapter 18: End Game

**Chapter 18: End Game**

Bobby's face was stone serious as he approached the group on the ice. His leather coat was long and had a fur collar for warmth, although it didn't make much difference since Bobby hadn't bothered to button it. Under the coat he wore plain jeans and some layered waffle thermal shirts. Around his neck, worn like a necklace, was his mother's rosary, and tucked into the top of his jeans was his Colt.

A few steps behind him, Jessie looked just as serious. She was a little harder to see against the ice. Her pants were silver-grey fatigues, meant to blend in with the ice and snow. Her jacket was a dull bluish color. She'd already taken care of the rifle she'd had earlier, knowing it would be utterly impractical in close quarters if things on the ice went south.

"Is this what you all been waiting on?" laughed Sweet as he watched them get closer. No one answered him.

"You okay, Jerry?" Bobby pulled his gun out of the front of his pants and handed it to Jerry, and then gave him his coat as well. While the brothers spoke in low tones, Jessie simply looked at Big Paul. As he moved around, trying to stay half-hidden, her eyes followed him. Evan and Charlie both noticed and moved slightly away from Paulie. They didn't like the way Jessie was watching him, not at all. But she didn't watch much longer; after a moment she turned her attention back to Bobby. He stole a quick kiss from her.

"Finish this," she whispered. "For Jack. For your Mom."

Bobby turned back towards the group and gave Victor a measured look, summing him up. He swung his arms to loosen them up a little and rolled his head from side to side. Victor took off his fur coat and handed it to someone. Underneath he wore a white turtleneck sweater.

"Oh, Bobby Mercer. Back in town. You gonna be the one, Bobby? Bring it on, man." Victor grinned as he bounced from foot to foot, testing the grip of his boots on the ice. As Victor tried to taunt him, Bobby kissed the cross of the rosary and tucked it down the front of his shirt.

"Yea, you'd better pray," mocked Victor; Bobby didn't say anything.

The spectators formed a rough circle, a gladiators' arena for Bobby and Victor. They were going to fight and there was going to be blood. The group started to catch wind of the anger both men channeled. The shouts began as Bobby and Victor circled each other on the ice.

"Kick his ass!"

"Kill him!"

The shouts and taunts faded into the background as Bobby focused on his adversary. He threw a few test punches that backed Victor off, but didn't connect. It emboldened Victor. One punch, then a second landed on Bobby's face. Jessie kept her face blank as she watched, but she winced inside each time Bobby got hit. Then she saw the little smile play across Bobby's face. She'd seen that look before – usually right before he annihilated some fool during a hockey game.

Victor landed another punch to the face and then two quick ones to the body, sending Bobby to his knees. As Bobby got to his feet, Victor punched again, catching Bobby squarely in the groin. Amid his shout of pain, Bobby tackled Victor. They grappled on the ground, trying to strangle each other and Victor managed to get behind Bobby, catching him in a choke-hold.

"Elbow!" shouted Jessie, unable to stay silent any longer. "Use your elbow!" Jerry quietly caught Jessie by the arm, just to make sure she wasn't going to leap into the scuffle. This fight was between Bobby and Victor. That was the deal. If anyone else got involved, it was all going to go straight to Hell.

Whether he heard her or not, Bobby knew the elbow was his only option. He drove three sharp blows into Sweet's ribs and as Victor was forced to loosen his headlock, Bobby caught him in the face with a final elbow. They scrambled to their feet and Bobby clocked Victor with a left and then a quick right to the face. Victor went to his knees under the assault.

Bobby was hardly breathing hard. "Fucker," he said. "Get up, bitch."

"Knock his ass out, Bobby!" shouted Jerry.

Staggering to his feet, Victor was slightly disoriented from the last punch. He staggered a few steps and turned, opening up an opportunity that Bobby pounced on – he punched Victor, as hard as he could, in the kidney. The blow sent Victor careening into Evan, who pushed him back into the melee.

"Get your bitch ass back in there," yelled Evan.

Bobby popped Victor with a head butt and then a driving punch to the gut. Victor dropped to his knees. Bobby put all his force into a right to the face, followed immediately by a left to Victor's face. There was blood running from Victor's mouth. Bobby hit him one final time, an upper cut that made Victor fly backwards and sprawl in the ice, eyes wide and vacant.

Everyone crowded around. He wasn't moving and Jessie couldn't tell if Victor was breathing or not. She came up next to Bobby and put her arm through his. Jerry came up on his other side.

"Put him in the hole," said Bobby.

Victor's former crew gathered around, lifted him up, and threw his limp body into the icy water of the Detroit River. If the final punch hadn't killed him, the cold and the water would. Victor Sweet wasn't going to bother anyone else again. Bobby locked eyes with Evan and without words; Bobby knew the deal was set. Evan and the others would get the money – and no one else would come after the Mercers.

Bobby, Jessie and Jerry started to walk away across the ice.

"Tyrell?" asked Bobby.

"Waiting to meet Victor in Hell," answered Jessie.

"So, what are we going to do about the police?" asked Jerry.

"Police?" There was mocking laughter in Bobby's answer. "The cops LOVE the Mercers, Jerry."

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: What did you think? Since this is really the climax of the movie itself, I hope I did it justice. Would love to know what you think – does the scene still grab you? Does Jessie's presence work in the scene? Thanks for reading and letting me know what you think. There are probably only a couple more chapters before I wrap up, so stay tuned!_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	19. Chapter 19: Aftermath

**Chapter 19: Aftermath**

Forty-eight hours later, all three Mercer brothers were in individual interrogation rooms at the local Detroit Police precinct. Each one was sporting cuts and bruises that clearly showed two things: that the boys in blue were not playing by the rules and that the Mercer boys were living up to their reputations as antagonists.

Out in the lobby, Jessie, Sofi, and Jerry's wife, Camille, were all raising their own special brand of Hell.

"His name is Jerry Mercer and you've had him for the past twelve hours. I want to see my husband and I want to see him now!" Camille shouted at the rookie officer behind the desk. Sofi was right next to her, ranting in Spanish and English at another officer, and working herself into quite a frenzy. In front of a different office door, Jessie was going at it with another officer.

"Well, then tell me he's been arrested," she shouted. "Because if you haven't charged him with something, you've got no right to keep him. I will stand here all day and go through this with you… Oh, what, I can't stay here? Bullshit! I'm a taxpayer in this city and this is a public building…"

In the interrogation rooms, things were just as interesting. Bobby's lip was split and he'd already fended off several questions about what had happened to Victor Sweet. The two detectives with him were running out of patience, not that they'd really had a lot for him before.

"Where were you that day?" one shouted.

Bobby shrugged. "Okay, you want to know? From about five until about eleven o'clock I was banging that pretty little wife of yours…" The slap that followed made Bobby's ears ring, but it was worth it. Next door, Angel's answer to a similar question was something to the effect of bumping uglies with a detective's wife, earning himself a punch and a split lip. And finally, Jerry's observation was that his detective's wife wasn't all that good to begin with got him slapped around again as well. But all the three brothers did was laugh it off.

An hour later, a door opened and Jerry was literally thrown into the lobby. He stumbled and fell, landing against the base of the counter. He winced as he banged his head. Camille flew to his side and as she knelt down, she looked back at the cop who had shoved him.

"Don't you push him like that!" she shouted.

Jerry put his hand up and grabbed Camille's arm. She turned back to her husband. "Oh, baby," she said. "What happened? It looks like someone put their fist in your eye!"

"It's fine. It's nothing."

"It ain't 'nothing' Jerry!" She tried to touch the bruise that was coming up around Jerry's eye and he flinched away.

As Camille helped Jerry stand, Angel came out from one of the other rooms. Jessie watched as Sofi practically flew across the room and into his arms. "Oh baby!" she whispered. "They bought it!"

"Shhh!" hushed Angel. The lobby of the police station was no place to discuss the success of their plan. She kissed him and Angel winced – that's when Sofi saw the split on his lip and the dried blood.

"Oh! You're bleeding!" She touched his face gently.

"S'okay," said Angel with a grin. "You know I can take a punch."

Sofi laughed and made a gentle fist. "Baby, I know you can take a punch…"

While Angel and Sofi talked, Jerry told Camille a little about what had happened in interrogation. Camille shook her head.

"You shouldn't talk about peoples Momma's like that."

"Well, they talked about mine," said Jerry a bit petulantly.

"Jessie, where's Bobby?" asked Angel from across the room.

"I don't know. No one will answer any of my God-damned questions!" She leveled a glare at the officer she'd been arguing with and flipped open her cell phone. "I've had quite enough of this bullshit. Angel? Jerry? What's the name of that lawyer of yours?"

She started to say something else, but from down the hall, everyone could hear a door slam, followed by Bobby's voice. Jessie stopped dialing the phone.

"If I ever catch you without that badge, I'll slap the smirk right off your face," yelled Bobby. He raised his hand in emphasis at the officer who was escorting him down the hall. When he came into the lobby, the others all crowded around him. He took Jessie's hand and twined his fingers through hers. He squeezed her hand.

"You both okay?" Bobby bumped fists with his brothers. Angel and Jerry both said yes and they started to walk forward. Jessie wrapped her arms around Bobby's waist and he encircled her shoulders with his arm.

"I'm going to kill you, Bobby," snapped Camille as Bobby walked past her and Jerry. "I told you not to let Jerry get hurt."

"He's alive, isn't he? Hey, get me my property!" Bobby slammed his palm down several times on the counter and grinned at his brothers. Angel, who was on Bobby's right, glanced over at Jerry. His brother was staring straight ahead, not saying anything, and not looking at his brothers.

"You said something, didn't you, Jerry?" said Angel. Bobby looked over, too.

"Man," Jerry turned towards Angel. "I didn't say shit. Why you have to go and say something like that, Angel?"

Bobby smiled. "I said something." Angel and Jerry stopped and stared, both a little stunned. Bobby'd said something to the cops?

"What did you say?" asked Angel carefully.

"That I was doing his wife." Bobby had a wicked smile that he couldn't suppress.

"So did I," laughed Angel.

"Me, too," howled Jerry.

"Come on Jerry," said Camille. "I want to get you home to your daughters. They miss you."

Jerry nodded. He couldn't wait to see Daniela and Amelia. It was true, he'd wanted to get Victor Sweet for revenge, make him pay for what happened to his mother and to Jack. But as things got uglier, it was his concern, his fear, for the safety of his daughters – and Camille – that had motivated him to follow through with this crazy plan. Now he just wanted to go home and hug his girls and make love to his wife.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bobby watched Sofi curl herself around Angel. Once they got back to the house, it was pretty clear that Sofi was going to provide Angel with her own version of nursing care. And that meant a long night listening to them work their way through a bevy of sexual positions that would probably make a yoga practitioner envious. Not something he really wanted to listen to; he wanted quiet. Quiet and a bag of ice for his beat-up face.

"Hey," Jessie whispered, seeing the same thing he saw. "Why don't you spend the night at my place? Unless you want to go home and listen to…" She didn't finish her sentence; she just jerked her head towards La Vida Loca.

"Please save me from that," he said.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Thanks for reading – and for those of you who just recently found the story, thanks for joining me on this little adventure. I hope you're enjoying it. As usual, I'd love to get feedback from you (or as my cousin in Texas might say, "all y'all."). Feel free to send along reviews with what you like – and what you don't like – about the story so far. _

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	20. Chapter 20: Shelter

**Chapter 20: Shelter**

On the way back to her house, Jessie ordered a pizza and the delivery driver arrived at her house just after they did. Bobby hadn't had anything to eat in nearly 24 hours, wolfed down several slices, and washed them down with a beer. Once they were done, Jessie ushered him to the shower and told him not to come out until he'd run out of hot water.

For the first few minutes, Bobby just stood in the shower spray, letting the hot water blast onto his chest and his back. Taking the soap from the holder, he lathered it up and started to scrub, trying to take the dirt and sweat of the past day off of his skin. While he rinsed, he grabbed the shampoo bottle. Lemongrass. Well, anything with lemon in it couldn't be too bad… at least he wouldn't completely smell like a girl.

He closed his eyes and leaned back into the spray, letting the shampoo run out of his hair, over his face, and tried not to think. But the images still came: his mother's face smiling at the dinner table… the grainy video image of her begging for her life… masked men trying to kill him and his family… Victor's limp body starting to sink into the river's icy water… Jack laughing, and then lying broken and empty on a pile of blood-soaked snow…

His throat tightened and Bobby started to shake despite the hot water. He turned to face the spray, letting the water wash the tears off his face as he thought about everything he'd lost in the past few weeks. Had it really only been a few weeks? He'd buried is mother just before Thanksgiving, and now, in a few days, it was going to be Christmas. So much had happened… He stayed in the shower until the hot water started to turn warm and knew he needed to get out before it turned icy cold.

He got out of the shower, towel-dried his hair, and pulled his jeans on. Looking in the mirror, Bobby inspected his face. It was cut and bruised, but there were no traces of the tears. Jessie was in the kitchen putting some dishes away. She smiled at Bobby when he came out of the bathroom.

"Feel a little better?"

"Yea, thanks."

"Good. I'll give you a back rub in a minute. I can tell you're still sore from your… scuffle." She put the last couple dishes away as Bobby came up behind her, slid his arms around her waist, and kissed Jessie on the neck. She laughed.

"A back rub?" His interest peaked.

"Don't be looking at me like that," she warned playfully. "Seriously, go lie on the bed."

Bobby couldn't resist the next question. "Naked?"

"Oh, for God's sake." Jessie rolled her eyes. He was impossible.

Nevertheless, Bobby went into the bedroom to lie down. Jessie took a quick detour to the bathroom where she changed into her comfy outfit: a pair of black fleece yoga pants covered with pink pirate skulls and a black t-shirt. She took her small jar of oil and went into the bedroom. Bobby had lost the jeans but left his boxer briefs on; he was lying face down on the bed. The bedroom light was off, but enough illumination came in from the hall to make it easy to see. He lifted himself up on his elbows and tried not to wince, but Jessie saw it, and that was why she wanted to give him a back rub in the first place.

"Nice pants," he laughed.

"They're comfortable and I like them, so shut up and lie down." Jessie got on the bed and poured a little oil in her hands. She lightly ran them on Bobby's back to coat him with the oil. Then she put a little pressure on and ran her hands from the small of his back up to his shoulders. Bobby let out a groan that was a mix of pleasure and pain. He knew he was sore, but he didn't realize how sore – or expect how good it would feel to have his taxed muscles pampered.

Jessie continued to work on his back, his arms, his shoulders and his legs for the next half-hour and Bobby fell into a bit of a haze. He was more relaxed than he'd been in, well, forever, but he couldn't quite fall asleep with Jessie's hands running over his skin. Finally, she eased up on the pressure and moved her hands up and down his back in a gentle circular motion, letting the touch get lighter and lighter until she finished.

"How was that?" She sat to the side.

Bobby raised his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I drooled on your bed…"

Jessie threw her head back and laughed. "Well, that's probably the nicest thing you could have said about that back rub!"

Bobby pushed himself up on his hands and knees and moved closer to Jessie. As she leaned back to stretch out, he took her by the hips and pulled her further down on the bed so she was underneath him. He kissed her. It was gentle to start, soft and inviting, and then it became more intense, more driven by desire. Jessie pulled her shirt off and Bobby closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of her warm skin against his.

"Jessie," he whispered. "I can't go to sleep, not without having you… That's all I could think about when I was with those friggin' cops: coming home, seeing you, being with you. You've been the only shelter I've had since Ma died…"

Jessie's eyes were filled with tears. He was a man of few words and what he'd just said was beyond nearly anything she'd ever expected from him.

Their love-making session was short, but not lacking in passion or enthusiasm. For Jessie, there was nothing in the world like it. Feeling Bobby become part of her, move with her, bring her to the height of passion was something she wasn't sure she could live without now that she'd experienced it. When they were finished, Jessie curled up next to Bobby and slid her leg over his. She ran her finger along the rosary tattoo.

As they lay on the bed, both lost in thought, Bobby suddenly found himself thinking about what might have happened when Tyrell came to Jessie's house. She'd said that he hadn't raped her, but he'd done something. Something that got him killed. Bobby opened his mouth to ask a question, hesitated, and closed it again. Part of him wanted to know more about what had happened with Tyrell, but part of him didn't. But could he really live without asking? Would Jessie think less of him if he ignored it?

"Bobby?" She could feel the sudden tension in his body.

"I wanted to ask… Are you… Do you want to talk about what happened? With Tyrell?" His voice was soft. _I can't believe I'm asking this now. My timing sucks._

Jessie sighed. "You're sweet to ask, Bobby. But right now, no. Maybe some other day I will, but not now… just know that he didn't, he didn't rape me, Bobby and that's the truth."

"I believe you, Jessie. But if you ever…"

"I know," she said softly. They lay together, silent, and Bobby rubbed his fingers up and down Jessie's arm.

She was silent for a moment longer, lost in thought, before propping herself up on her elbow so she could look down at Bobby's face. "You know, when I was in the Army, I… I killed a lot of people over there, Bobby. I did it because I had to, but I felt sick every time. I feel the same way now. Tyrell needed killing, and I don't regret doing it. No one else was going to stop him. But I'm still responsible. It was my decision to pull the…"

"Shhh." He pulled her head down gently and kissed her. "We all have to live with the decisions we make. After some of the things I've done? Believe me, I know. I'll never judge you for that."

"Thank you." She caressed his face with her hand, being careful on the cuts and bruises from the police interrogation. The bruises were starting to color; Bobby was going to look like he'd been in a prize fight by morning.

He took her hand and kissed the palm. "I love you, Jessie."

She smiled down at him and just before she kissed him again, she whispered, "I love you too, Bobby. No matter what."

Three days later it was Saturday and it was Christmas Eve. The neighborhood around the Mercer home was decorated with wreaths, lights, plastic reindeer and much more. The three brothers were outside their home working, trying to rebuild. Bobby was manning the table saw, cutting lengths of lumber. Jerry was mixing cement so that he could replace more of the brick foundation for the porch and Angel was installing new porch windows. Jerry's daughters were playing in the yard while their father worked. Inside, Camille and Sofi were making a Christmas Eve dinner for the family.

At first, Bobby didn't see Jessie walking down the sidewalk. Once he finished the cut he was on, she called out. "Hey, Bobby."

He looked up and pulled his safety glasses off; he had saw dust stuck in his hair. "Hey, baby. You're early."

"Last customer cancelled, so Louie said I could go." She held up the two bags she was carrying. "I brought gifts and I brought dessert."

"Camille and Sofi are inside. We should be done out here pretty soon." He gave Jessie a quick kiss and then put his glasses back on. He wanted to get this last set of boards cut before dinner. Jessie headed into the house, saying hello to Jerry, Angel, Daniela and Amelia on the way in.

A few minutes later, Camille and Sofi came out onto the porch. "Come on in," said Camille. "Jerry, Angel. Dinner's just about ready. Girls, come in and wash up.

"You come in too, Bobby," shouted Sofi.

"I'll be right there," he answered.

The group disappeared into the house and from inside, he could hear happy voices and laughter. Bobby stopped cutting and listened. There was still a lot of raw pain left over from Evelyn and Jack's deaths, but the laughter was starting to come back and Bobby was truly glad of that. Behind him on the street, there was laughter, too. Several of the neighborhood kids were having a spirited game of street hockey. A wild puck hit Bobby in the back of the leg. By the time he'd turned around and picked it up, the kids had gathered around him.

"Miss Evelyn's not coming back, is she?" asked one little boy.

"No," said Bobby sadly. "No, she's not coming back."

"That because she's dead?" asked another boy. His sister punched him in the shoulder and tried to shush him.

"Yea, it's because she's dead." Bobby handed them the plastic puck. "Go finish your game. No rough stuff." The kids took the puck and started the game again. Bobby watched them for a few seconds and Jessie, who had come back out of the house, came to stand next to him.

"Next Michigan Mauler in there?" she asked.

"Shit, there will never be another Mauler." Bobby puffed his chest out a little.

"Damn straight. C'mon inside," said Jessie. "Foods ready and Camille's getting itchy to have everyone sit down together."

"I'm coming. You go in; it's cold. I'll be right there," he answered. As Jessie started to step away, Bobby grabbed her by the hand. She looked back over her shoulder and smiled.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked.

"Yea, I know. Now hurry up or you're going to miss out. You know what kind of appetite Angel has…" Jessie headed back into the house.

Bobby put his tools down and locked the saw. He only managed to take a few steps towards the door before he froze. He looked at the porch and blinked, not believing his eyes. On the porch, in her favorite chair, Bobby could swear he saw his mother. She was rocking and knitting and she smiled at him. It was that affectionate Mom smile that he'd loved to see. The smile that always told him that Evelyn loved him, no matter what trouble he got in.

"Oh, it is so good to have you back home, son," Evelyn's ghost said. "Going to stick around a while this time?"

"Thinkin' about it, Ma," he said with a smile. Then he thought of Jessie, and the smile got bigger. "Thinkin' about it."

Evelyn Mercer's ghost chuckled. "Oh, Bobby…"

The clatter of the street hockey game erupted behind him. Bobby turned to look at the kids for a moment and when he turned back, the porch was empty, the image – the ghost - of his mother gone. He was sad for a moment, but then laughter came from inside the house again. He smiled.

Bobby Mercer knew he was definitely going to stick around for quite a while.

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Hope you are enjoying it! Would love to hear what you think._

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


	21. Chapter 21: Life Goes On

**Chapter 21: Life Goes On**

It was perfect weather for a Fourth of July cookout: hot and clear, and not a cloud in the sky. Nearly a year and a half had passed since the Mercer boys lost their mother and youngest brother, Jack, and the pain had finally started to ease. One thing that had stood out for the three remaining brothers was the fact that they had all missed family holidays, so they'd made a point to get together whenever they could. This year, Jessie and Bobby had invited everyone to their house for The Fourth. Sofi and Angel had arrived a few minutes before and were putting their cooler out back.

"Hello?" Jerry opened the front door and leaned in. "Bobby? Jessie?"

"Come on in," shouted Jessie from the kitchen where she was slicing up some carrots. "My hands are full."

Daniela and Amelia ran through the kitchen straight for the back yard, both determined to be the first one outside and say hello to their Uncles. Jessie laughed as they sped by and shouted a hello to her.

"I'm sorry, we really have tried to teach them manners," said Jerry. He put a bag down on the counter. "We brought a cooler, too. I'll bring it around back."

"Thanks, Jerry. Now where's that beautiful baby of yours?"

"She's right here, Jess." Camille had come in just behind Jerry and was holding their new daughter in her arms. Little Evelyn – or Eve as she was known to the family – was 10 months old and waved her arms up at her mother. Jessie leaned in, made some classic baby noises, and was thrilled when Eve rewarded her with a big smile and laugh. Then her face changed, got redder and she scrunched it up.

"Uh oh," said Camille. "Looks like we're going to need a new diaper."

"You can change her in the bedroom if you want," said Jessie.

While Camille was getting the baby cleaned up, Sofi came in looking for them. "Oooo, is little Eve here? I want to see her. Those little round cheeks are too adorable…"

"Camille is changing her. She'll be out in just a sec." Jessie dropped the carrots onto a segmented tray. Then she drained and dumped some olives into the other section and made a face. She was indifferent to olives for the most part, but Jerry loved them, so whenever he was over, Jessie always made sure there were some around. But today? Today there was something about them, the smell maybe, that made her feel a little off.

Sofi wandered into the living room and stopped in front of the fireplace. There was a new photo hanging over the mantle: a beautiful shot of Jessie and Bobby at their wedding. They were standing in a garden at the lakeshore. There were flowering bushes around them and in the distance, there was a hint of water. The frame was a medium oak with beautiful darker walnut inlays.

"You looked so beautiful in your wedding dress, Jessie," she said. "When did you get this picture?"

Jessie came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. She and Bobby had actually celebrated their first anniversary a few weeks ago. She smiled at the picture; she thought Bobby looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo.

"Thanks, Sofi. That was my favorite picture from all the ones we had taken and I wanted a really nice frame for it. But between having to replace that piece-of-crap car of mine, and a few things for the house, I had to wait to get the frame; I wanted a really special one. I just put it up last week."

Camille came in to join them, bouncing Eve on her hip. "It is a great picture Jessie."

"I can't wait to pick out my own dress." Sofi pressed her fingers to her lips in an attempt to dim the enormous smile on her face. Angel had finally proposed to her a few months back and she was still giddy at the prospect of finally becoming a bride. Then Sofi fussed over the baby, tickling her and making Eve laugh more. The three women continued to talk about Sofi's wedding plans as they headed back into the kitchen to collect the rest of the things that needed to be brought outside.

Outside, the men's conversation centered on Angel and Sofi's wedding for about 30 seconds. When Bobby asked how the plans were going, Angel's response was something to the tune of "she's out of her fucking mind." He dropped the subject and turned the conversation to the recent Tiger's baseball game, and the upcoming hockey season and the Wing's prospects. Jerry handed out a new round of beer, breaking up the conversation for a moment, and Bobby pulled his shirt over his head.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Jerry, and then he glanced around quickly to see if his daughters had heard him.

"Check out my new ink. I finally got them all finished." On Bobby's arm he had two new tats. One was a red rose. Above it were the words "in loving memory" and below it, "Mom." Near that one was a cross outlined with outstretched wings. Over the cross was a scroll with Jack's name in it along with his birth and death years.

"Damn, they look good. The rose looks sharp now that it is colored." Angel nodded approvingly. "Jessie do them?"

"Yea," said Bobby. She did both of these, but her boss did my newest one…"

Bobby turned to face his brothers. This tattoo was on his chest, right over his heart. The image was a heart being embraced by sheltering angel wings. Written across the heart in script was "Jessie."

"Did she like it? You surprised her, right?" asked Jerry.

"She was totally surprised." Bobby had been planning on this particular tattoo since he and Jessie got married. He'd gotten it done in time for their anniversary; Jessie's boss at Maverick had done the work in secret, coming in one day when the shop was closed so that Jessie wouldn't find out until Bobby showed it to her.

"Bobby, put your shirt on," said Jessie. She dropped a bag of hamburger rolls on the table next to the grill. Behind her, Sofi put the catsup, pickles and a few other things onto the table.

"Can't help myself," he answered. "Any time you're around, I just have to start getting naked…"

"Ewww. Uncle Bobby, that's gross," said Daniela.

"Yes it is," said Jerry. "If any boy ever wants to get naked for you, that's exactly what you tell him: its gross and you don't want to see it." He took the baby from Camille so his wife could start getting some lunch plates ready for the girls.

"You girls want cheese?" asked Bobby.

"Yes, please!" they both cried.

"Let me have a little piece for Eve," said Jerry. He gave his youngest daughter the piece and laughed as she pulled it apart, fascinated by the yellow square.

When all the guests had their food, Jessie held up her plate. It had a mound of potato salad on it, along with some carrot sticks and a few other veggies. There were two burger buns waiting.

"Cheese, too," she said.

"Two burgers?"

She gave him a look. "Bobby, I'm starving! Slap those bad boys on there."

Jessie sat down and Bobby came over to stand behind his wife. He had his own burger in one hand and with the other he pinched her shoulder gently. Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear. Jessie whispered back and then gave Bobby a kiss.

"What the hell's going on with you two?" asked Angel. "All that whispering's making me nervous."

Bobby looked at Jessie. It was an eager, questioning look. She nodded. "Go ahead," she said. "You've been dying to…"

At the other end of the table, both Camille and Sofi's eyes got wide and they started to smile. There was something about the smile on Jessie's face that made them understand what was coming next.

"Tell us what?" asked Jerry.

"Nothing much," said Bobby. "Unless you consider me getting Jessie knocked up a big deal..."

Before anyone else could respond, Amelia piped up, "What's knocked-up mean, Mommy?"

The entire table erupted in laughter despite the glare Camille threw at Bobby. When the noise died down, Camille said, "That is an impolite way to say that Aunt Jessie is pregnant, Amelia. She's going to have a baby."

"That's great news," said Jerry. "Congrats." He shook Bobby's hand and gave him a hug. Angel followed suit and then hugged Jessie. Camille and Sofi immediately descended on Jessie to congratulate her and touch the "baby bump."

"When are you due?" asked Camille.

"December," answered Jessie. "And before you ask, we don't know if it is a boy or a girl, and we're not going to find out. We want it to be a surprise."

"But we do know one thing," Bobby added. "If we have a boy, we're naming him after Jack."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jackson Robert Mercer arrived in November - three weeks before he was due.

Jessie's labor lasted nearly 24-hours and after little Jack was safely in the nursery and Jessie had finally fallen asleep, Bobby went to get a cup of coffee. Everyone told him that he should go home, but he was going to be in the room when Jessie woke up. He'd promised her he would be.

On his way back from the coffee shop, he took a detour to the nursery so he could look through the window at his son. _My son. Holy shit. I have a son. What kind of father am I going to be? I didn't exactly have a great fucking role model._ Fatherhood put a whole new perspective on life for Bobby.

He got to the window and froze when he saw two people standing over his son. They turned and smiled at him.

It couldn't be…

_Ma? Jack?_ Bobby's head reeled, remembering his last encounter with his mother's... ghost... or whatever it was.

"He's beautiful, Bobby." Evelyn was positively glowing. "I always wanted to be a grandma. And don't you worry; you're going to be a great father."

"You named him after me?" Jack smiled. "Thanks, man."

Bobby wasn't sure what to say. "Jackie… I'm sorry… I…"

"S'okay, Bobby. Not your fault." Jack looked just the way Bobby remembered before the shooting.

A nurse came up next to Bobby. "Mr. Mercer. Congratulations. Checking in on your son?"

"Yes, I just wanted to take a look before I went back to my wife's room…"

"That's fine. We'll actually be bringing him down when he wakes up so that your wife can feed him. Probably be in an hour or so. Is she sleeping?"

"Yes…"

"Good. If you need anything, let me know." The nurse smiled and went on her way.

"I will." Bobby turned back to the window but his mother and Jack were gone.

_We're not gone._ He could hear Jack's voice in his head. _Not so long as you remember us, Bobby._

-a-a-a-a-a-a-

_Author's note: Well, that's it. The End. Thank you all for reading my little Four Brothers adventure (I've heard they're making a sequel…). I hope you've enjoyed my retelling of the tale. Thank you also for the reviews; I do appreciate those. Not sure what my next story will be. I want to try to get a little work done on my original fiction, but we'll see how that goes. Nonetheless, I will have more fan fiction in the future… I have ideas for stories based on Leverage, CSI: NY, Numb3rs, Bab 5, Star Trek and a few others. Who knows what will inspire me next!_

_Disclaimer: the usual stuff – Jessie is my creation (as is Tyrell) but almost all of the other major characters are the brain child of the movie writers or others. Dialogue from the movie is paraphrased in many cases, but any matching dialogue is used for story continuity and character authenticity only. _


End file.
